The lips. Excision and repair

Dermatologists commonly encounter lesions arising on the lips that require excision either for biopsy or treatment. Several surgical techniques used for excision and repair of the lip in the treatment of these conditions are reviewed. Topics covered include the importance of the lip, lip anatomy as it pertains to cutaneous surgery, techniques for obtaining lip anesthesia, partial-thickness and full-thickness lip excision and repair, surgical vermilionectomy, and carbon dioxide laser vermilionectomy. Emphasis will be placed on those surgical techniques that might commonly be used in a general dermatology practice.