Once the presence of skin cancer has been determined, the next step it to remove the cancerous cells as quickly as possible, in an effort to stop the cancer from growing and possibly spreading.
An excision is the process of “cutting out” the lesion in which the skin cancer exists. Our doctors will conduct an excision in order to remove the cancerous skin cells and to restore your body to full health. Excisions are effective in removing skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Removal of the affected cells is intended to stop the cancer from growing and spreading to larger areas of the skin. Early detection is crucial in diagnosing and treating skin cancer.
Our doctors want you to feel comfortable in their care, especially during your excision. Your doctor will use a surgical marker to indicate where the incision will be made and then anesthetize the tissue with a local anesthetic. This incision will include the removal of some healthy tissue as your doctor must ensure all of cancerous cells are removed.
The elliptical excision is the most commonly used as it allows the sutures to follow the pattern of the skin. This will enable better camouflage of any resulting scar as it will often blend in the folds of the skin. Once the lesion has been extracted your doctor will close the wound.
The removed lesion will be sent to a pathology lab where it will be examined by a pathologist. The pathologist will inspect the lesion under a microscope to confirm that all the cancerous cells were removed. These test results will be sent back to your doctor and discussed with you.
You will be given specific after care instructions before you leave the office.
Although rare, infections can occur after a surgical procedure.
Signs of an infection include localized redness and swelling around the stitches, pus, fever, odor coming from the wound and pain surrounding the wound.
Call Goldenberg Dermatology immediately if you experience any of these symptoms.
At first, your scar will look quite red and possibly raised. With time and the right care, the scar will fade.
Certain cosmetic treatments, such as FRAXEL DUAL (insert link here) and/or V-Beam (insert link here) lasers can be used to improve the cosmetic appearance of the scar once it’s healed.
No one can anticipate a skin cancer diagnosis. The shock, confusion, and frustration that accompany skin cancer are something that our doctors can help with. Luckily, they have the appropriate skills and knowledge to help you fight the disease and to achieve the goal of restoring your health. Your consultation appointment with one of our doctors is the very first step toward reaching that goal. This is the time to bring in any questions, concerns, or comments you may have regarding your condition and to get them all answered. Our board certified dermatologists are determined to help you through this tough time and will support you as you take the first steps to becoming cancer-free.