An age-based approach to dermatologic surgery: Kids are not just little people

Surgical dermatologic procedures in children pose unique challenges that differ from those in adults. Child and parental anxiety, along with procedural anxiety in adults, necessitate different approaches. Special considerations are reviewed in the application of topical anesthesia and administration of local anesthesia in children as opposed to adults, and the use and safety of general anesthesia in children is highlighted. In addition, management of postprocedural analgesia differs in children, largely due to concern for safety of opioids in children.