ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin Face: Procedure Code Group Overview

The International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Procedure Coding System (ICD-10-PCS) code group 0H51 includes procedures performed to destroy skin tissue in the face and related skin surfaces. These ICD-10-PCS codes are used for inpatient documentation when a clinician performs destruction of all or part of the facial skin by direct use of energy, force, or a destructive agent. Accurate coding within the ICD-10-PCS 0H51 group is essential for proper inpatient reimbursement, as it captures the procedure performed and determines appropriate case mix and payment.

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Skin, Face Destruction Procedure Overview

This group includes inpatient procedures that use energy, force, or destructive agents to eradicate all or part of skin on the face and related skin surfaces. These procedures target the Skin and Breast body system and involve the root operation Destruction. Accurate ICD-10-PCS coding ensures the inpatient record reflects the intensity and extent of tissue destruction, which affects case mix grouping and reimbursement.

Code Attributes

Character	ICD-10-PCS Category	Code Group Details
0	Section	Medical and Surgical
H	Body System	Skin and Breast
5	Operation	Destruction
1	Body Part	Skin, Face

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ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin Face: Procedure Code Group Overview

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Skin, Face Destruction Procedure Overview

Code Attributes

Character	ICD-10-PCS Category	Code Group Details
0	Section	Medical and Surgical
H	Body System	Skin and Breast
5	Operation	Destruction
1	Body Part	Skin, Face

When to Use

Use a code from this group when the primary intent of the inpatient procedure is to destroy skin tissue on the face rather than excise or repair it. Select the specific code based on the extent and method of destruction documented in the operative report.

ICD-10-PCS Codes

2 rows

ICD-10-PCS Code	Description
0H51XZD	Destruction of Face Skin, Multiple, External Approach
0H51XZZ	Destruction of Face Skin, External Approach

DRG Codes

3 rows

DRG Code	Description
579	Other Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast Procedures with MCC
580	Other Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast Procedures with CC
581	Other Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast Procedures without CC/MCC

Typical Clinical Scenarios

An elderly patient on anticoagulation presents with a rapidly enlarging bleeding facial actinic keratosis and surrounding field disease. Because the primary intent is to destroy the diseased facial skin tissue while minimizing excision and blood loss, the inpatient team performs destruction of multiple small lesions across the face using an external destructive modality targeting several areas. This is done under monitored anesthesia due to anticoagulation and comorbidities. Typical codes: 0H51XZD
A middle-aged patient is admitted from the emergency department after a large chemical burn to the face causing devitalized superficial skin over multiple facial regions. To remove the devitalized tissue that cannot be salvaged and to reduce the risk of infection and further tissue breakdown, the surgical team performs destructive treatment of the affected facial skin surfaces using an external destructive agent. The procedure targets destruction rather than excision to address widespread nonviable skin. Typical codes: 0H51XZD
A patient with recurrent superficial facial lesions previously treated with excision returns with diffuse recurrence across contiguous facial areas where repeat conservative excision is impractical. The clinician elects an external destructive procedure to ablate the recurrent diseased skin over multiple facial sites in a single inpatient setting to manage disease burden and facilitate healing. The operation is destruction of facial skin across multiple locations rather than more extensive reconstructive excision. Typical codes: 0H51XZD

Related Codes

0H50-SKIN-SCALP-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin, Scalp: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H52-SKIN-RIGHT-EAR-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin Right Ear: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H53-LEFT-EAR-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Left Ear Skin: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H54-SKIN-NECK-PHYSICAL-ERADICATION-SKIN-NECK-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin Neck: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H55-CHEST-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Chest: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H56-SKIN-BACK-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin, Back: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H57-SKIN-ABDOMEN-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin Abdomen: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H58-SKIN-BUTTOCK-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin, Buttock: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H59-SKIN-PERINEUM-PHYSICAL-ERADICATION-SKIN-PERINEUM-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin Perineum: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H5A-INGUINAL-SKIN-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin, Inguinal: Procedure Code Group Overview

Showing 1–10 of 29

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

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When to Use

ICD-10-PCS Codes

2 rows

ICD-10-PCS Code	Description
0H51XZD	Destruction of Face Skin, Multiple, External Approach
0H51XZZ	Destruction of Face Skin, External Approach

DRG Codes

3 rows

DRG Code	Description
579	Other Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast Procedures with MCC
580	Other Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast Procedures with CC
581	Other Skin, Subcutaneous Tissue and Breast Procedures without CC/MCC

Typical Clinical Scenarios

An elderly patient on anticoagulation presents with a rapidly enlarging bleeding facial actinic keratosis and surrounding field disease. Because the primary intent is to destroy the diseased facial skin tissue while minimizing excision and blood loss, the inpatient team performs destruction of multiple small lesions across the face using an external destructive modality targeting several areas. This is done under monitored anesthesia due to anticoagulation and comorbidities. Typical codes: 0H51XZD
A middle-aged patient is admitted from the emergency department after a large chemical burn to the face causing devitalized superficial skin over multiple facial regions. To remove the devitalized tissue that cannot be salvaged and to reduce the risk of infection and further tissue breakdown, the surgical team performs destructive treatment of the affected facial skin surfaces using an external destructive agent. The procedure targets destruction rather than excision to address widespread nonviable skin. Typical codes: 0H51XZD
A patient with recurrent superficial facial lesions previously treated with excision returns with diffuse recurrence across contiguous facial areas where repeat conservative excision is impractical. The clinician elects an external destructive procedure to ablate the recurrent diseased skin over multiple facial sites in a single inpatient setting to manage disease burden and facilitate healing. The operation is destruction of facial skin across multiple locations rather than more extensive reconstructive excision. Typical codes: 0H51XZD

Related Codes

0H50-SKIN-SCALP-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin, Scalp: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H52-SKIN-RIGHT-EAR-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin Right Ear: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H53-LEFT-EAR-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Left Ear Skin: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H54-SKIN-NECK-PHYSICAL-ERADICATION-SKIN-NECK-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin Neck: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H55-CHEST-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Chest: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H56-SKIN-BACK-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin, Back: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H57-SKIN-ABDOMEN-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin Abdomen: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H58-SKIN-BUTTOCK-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin, Buttock: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H59-SKIN-PERINEUM-PHYSICAL-ERADICATION-SKIN-PERINEUM-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin Perineum: Procedure Code Group Overview

0H5A-INGUINAL-SKIN-DESTRUCTION

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin, Inguinal: Procedure Code Group Overview

Showing 1–10 of 29

Frequently Asked Questions

References

1.CPT® Codes and Descriptions. AAPC. Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.Maintains the CPT code set's official descriptions and guidelines, licensed from the American Medical Association, used as the definitional source for CPT codes on this page.
2.HCPCS Quarterly Update. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's quarterly release of HCPCS Level II codes and short/long descriptors, the source for HCPCS code definitions and update history.
3.ICD-10-CM Full Code List. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Retrieved Aug 11, 2026.CMS's complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code list, used to cross-reference diagnosis codes associated with this procedure or service.

Published by

Trek Health powers OpenPayer with a leading commercial payer intelligence platform, seamlessly converting fragmented payer data into actionable insights for provider organizations.

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin Face: Procedure Code Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin Face: Procedure Code Group Overview policy alerts

Skin, Face Destruction Procedure Overview

Code Attributes

ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin Face: Procedure Code Group Overview

Sign up for ICD-10-PCS Code For Skin Face: Procedure Code Group Overview policy alerts

Skin, Face Destruction Procedure Overview

Code Attributes

When to Use

ICD-10-PCS Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which procedures are included in ICD-10-PCS code group 0H51?

What are the specific ICD-10-PCS codes listed in this group?

What section, body system, and operation does 0H51 belong to?

How does accurate coding in 0H51 affect inpatient reimbursement?

Which DRGs are related to procedures in the 0H51 group?

References

When to Use

ICD-10-PCS Codes

DRG Codes

Typical Clinical Scenarios

Related Codes

Which procedures are included in ICD-10-PCS code group 0H51?

What are the specific ICD-10-PCS codes listed in this group?

What section, body system, and operation does 0H51 belong to?

How does accurate coding in 0H51 affect inpatient reimbursement?

Which DRGs are related to procedures in the 0H51 group?

References