Assessing patient perception following outpatient dermatological surgical procedures

Summary Background and objectives Despite receiving similar information about outpatient dermatologic surgical procedures, some patients still hold misconceptions about the nature of their lesions and the treatment. No studies have been done to understand this difference in the perception of surgery. Therefore, this study aimed to assess patients’ perceptions of their condition and the planned surgical intervention, to identify potential influencing factors, and to evaluate the concordance between preoperative information and postoperative experience. Patients and methods A single‐center descriptive observational study was conducted using surveys provided to patients who underwent dermatologic surgery between September 2023 and August 2024. Results A total of 302 patients were enrolled. Significant differences were found when evaluating disease perception based on the nature of the lesion, emotional responses depending on sex and previous surgical history. Differences were also observed in patients' perceptions of the surgery based on the operative technique used in terms of duration and complexity. Finally, wound care perception also showed significant differences depending on the surgical technique used. Conclusions Patients’ perceptions of dermatologic surgery are primarily shaped by the information provided and their own expectations. Several factors may influence and explain the differences and misconceptions observed among patients.