# Removal Ingrown Hair



## dballard2004 (Feb 9, 2011)

If a patient presents to the clinic with multiple ingrown hairs, and the provider removes the hairs using an 18 gauge needle to open the areas and remove the hair from one site, but then only brought the other hair to the surface, what CPT code would you use to report this?

I am leaning towards a foreign body removal code, but would like other opinions please.

Thanks so much!


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## preserene (Feb 9, 2011)

In my opinion: Hair- the ingrowing hair is an autologous tissues with its root and bulb intact and  with it's nerve and blood supply intact. it can  not be categorized into a" foreign body".
I feel it can go with the unlisted 17999 only. Perhaps, may be we can give thought to destruction of benign lesion(s)!!?
The diagnisis code also  difficult to fit in. could the ICD -9 CM go for 704.8 ?


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## dballard2004 (Feb 10, 2011)

I thank you so much for your insight here.  You have certainly given me something to think about.  I will go back and take a look at code 17999. I'm not sure that this would qualify as destruction of a benign lesion.


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## annakilker (Feb 10, 2011)

*ingrown hair removal*

Is this folliculitis?


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## dballard2004 (Feb 14, 2011)

Folliculitis is not documented.


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