Medical lesion treatment / LANGEVIAX
Cryotherapy, PDT and lesion removal are treatments for defined diagnoses. Before discussing removal of a spot, mole or bump, establish what it is and whether biopsy is needed; appearance in an app cannot provide that diagnosis.
Sources checked: 17 October 2026 · Independent clinical review of all pages is not complete.
Identify the lesion before destruction
A mole, wart, keratosis or skin cancer may all be described as a spot, yet their care pathways differ. New, changing, bleeding, ulcerated or nonhealing lesions require assessment. Small size does not exclude risk. Burning, lasering or freezing an unexplained lesion can delay diagnosis and destroy tissue that might be needed for examination.
Section sources: AAD · Mole diagnosis and medical removal · AAD · ABCDEs of melanoma · Canadian Dermatology Association · Check your skin
Freezing, PDT, shave or excision
Cryotherapy destroys target tissue with cold. PDT combines a photosensitizing agent with light to target appropriate cells. Shave removal or excision can provide tissue for pathology. These are not interchangeable tools: diagnosis, location, depth, lesion number and the need for tissue assessment determine the choice rather than price or speed alone.
Section sources: AAD · Photodynamic therapy differs from light-only treatment · British Association of Dermatologists · Photodynamic therapy · AAD · Mole diagnosis and medical removal
Actinic keratosis and field treatment
Actinic keratoses reflect sun damage and can progress to keratinocyte cancer, although individual progression cannot be predicted with certainty. AAD strongly recommends cryosurgery and conditionally recommends PDT. Treating one lesion differs from treating a wider sun-damaged field. Prescription topical options may also be appropriate; not everyone needs the same procedure.
Section sources: AAD · Actinic keratosis guideline and focused update
Questions before treatment
Ask about the working diagnosis, why biopsy is or is not needed, pigment risks in darker skin, scarring and recurrence. Report medicines, anticoagulants, allergies and conditions affecting healing; do not independently change prescriptions. If tissue is sent, establish how and when results will be communicated and who follows them up. No news is not a normal pathology result.
Section sources: AAD · Mole diagnosis and medical removal · AAD · Skin biopsy wound care
Choose care for the actual wound
After biopsy, gentle cleansing, plain petrolatum and an appropriate dressing are commonly used, with the treating clinician’s instructions taking priority. Topical antibiotics are not required for every wound and can cause allergy. Avoid exfoliants, acids, essential oils or pigment products on an open site. Once healed, sun protection can reduce discoloration of the area.
Section sources: AAD · Skin biopsy wound care · AAD · When topical antibiotics are and are not needed
PDT light precautions need a specific plan
PDT can cause light sensitivity, pain, redness and crusting. Required light avoidance depends on the agent and protocol; conventional and daylight PDT do not have identical instructions. Obtain a written plan for travel home, covering the area and the end of precautions. Sunscreen alone does not replace prescribed light restrictions, and crusts should not be picked.
Section sources: British Association of Dermatologists · Photodynamic therapy · AAD · Photodynamic therapy differs from light-only treatment
Follow-up, recurrence and warning signs
Increasing pain, warmth, pus, fever or uncontrolled bleeding warrants prompt contact. A persistent, returning or changing lesion needs reassessment rather than repeated destruction without reconsidering the diagnosis. Sun-damaged skin needs an ongoing examination and protection plan. Comparison photographs can support monitoring, but cannot replace pathology results or a clinical examination.
Section sources: AAD · Skin biopsy wound care · AAD · When a mole needs assessment · Canadian Dermatology Association · Check your skin
My consultation question sheet
Choose the questions to take with you. These selections are not sent to a clinic or saved to an account.
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Frequently asked questions
Can an unexplained mole go straight to laser?
It needs examination and biopsy when indicated; cosmetic destruction should not compromise diagnosis.
Section sources: AAD · Mole diagnosis and medical removal
Does every red area after freezing mean infection?
No. Inflammation can be expected, but worsening pain, pus, fever or deterioration requires assessment.
Section sources: AAD · Photodynamic therapy differs from light-only treatment · AAD · Skin biopsy wound care
Does removal end the need for follow-up?
No. Diagnosis, pathology, recurrence and the risk of new lesions determine follow-up.
Section sources: AAD · When a mole needs assessment · AAD · Actinic keratosis guideline and focused update
Sources and context
Canadian sources take priority for regulatory context. FDA or other foreign information does not establish Canadian authorization for a product or use. A source-check date is distinct from publication date or independent clinical approval.
- AAD · Mole diagnosis and medical removalsociety · 2026-10-17
- AAD · ABCDEs of melanomasociety · 2026-10-17
- Canadian Dermatology Association · Check your skinsociety · 2026-10-17
- AAD · Photodynamic therapy differs from light-only treatmentsociety · 2026-10-17
- British Association of Dermatologists · Photodynamic therapysociety · 2026-10-17
- AAD · Actinic keratosis guideline and focused updateguideline · 2026-10-17
- AAD · Skin biopsy wound caresociety · 2026-10-17
- AAD · When topical antibiotics are and are not neededsociety · 2026-10-17
- AAD · When a mole needs assessmentsociety · 2026-10-17
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