How will my skin cancer be removed/reconstructed?
After being properly diagnosed, there are several different techniques that can be used to remove the skin cancer. Often, the defect can be closed with careful suturing. and start facial reconstruction if necessary. Sometimes rearranging the adjacent skin (a flap) or a skin graft may be necessary to reconstruct the defect from your skin cancer removal. No matter which technique is used, medication will be administered first to ensure your comfort during treatment.
Excision:
When a lesion is small enough, a simple excision and closure procedure can be performed to remove the tissue. This technique is also used to check for skin cancer in either a partial or complete biopsy. Once removed, the incision is closed and bandaged.
Mohs Surgery:
When lesions are less straightforward and sit below the skin with have irregular borders margins, a more intricate removal technique might be required. Mohs surgery is a specialized technique that involves removing the cancerous tissue one layer at a time. This technique ensures that all cancerous tissue is removed, while preserving the most healthy tissue.
Reconstruction:
When a large lesion is removed from the face, it can leave behind a bothersome disfigurement. Once the skin cancer has been properly treated and removed, reconstruction can be performed using a skin graft or your own tissue from an adjacent un-involved area. A skin graft uses tissue taken from another area of the body such as the abdomen or thighs to be placed in on the face where reconstruction is needed. The tissue is then shaped to restore the natural appearance of the affected facial features.
