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The Truth About Plastic Surgery: An Informational Manual for Men and Women
Make the right choice between plastic surgery procedures and operations
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States. More than 500,000 new cases are reported each year-and the incidence is rising faster than any other type of cancer. While skin cancers can be found on any part of the body, about 80 percent appear on the face, head, or neck, where they can be disfiguring as well as dangerous.
Anyone can get skin cancer-no matter what your skin type, race, or age, no matter where you live or what you do. But your risk is greater if…
Types of Skin Cancer
By far the most common type of skin cancer is basal cell carcinoma. Fortunately, it’s also the least dangerous kind–it tends to grow slowly, and rarely spreads beyond its original site. Though basal cell carcinoma is seldom life-threatening, if left untreated it can grow deep beneath the skin and into the underlying tissue and bone, causing serious damage (particularly if it’s located near the eye).
Squamous cell carcinoma is the next most common kind of skin cancer, frequently appearing on the lips, face, or ears. It sometimes spreads to distant sites, including lymph nodes and internal organs. Squamous cell carcinoma can become life-threatening if it’s not treated.
The third form of skin cancer, malignant melanoma, is the least common, but its incidence is increasing rapidly, especially in the Sunbelt states. Malignant melanoma is also the most dangerous type of skin cancer. If discovered early enough, it can be completely cured. If it’s not treated quickly, however, malignant melanoma may spread throughout the body and is often deadly.
Recognizing Skin Cancer
Basal and squamous cell carcinomas can vary widely in appearance. Cancer may begin as small, white, or pink nodule or bumps; it can be smooth and shiny, waxy, or pitted on the surface. Or it might appear as a red spot that’s rough, dry, or scaly…a firm, red lump that may form a crust…a crusted group of nodules…a sore that bleeds or doesn’t heal after two to four weeks…or a white patch that looks like scar tissue. Malignant melanoma is usually signaled by a change in the size, shape, or color of an existing mole, or as a new growth on normal skin. Watch for the “ABCD” warning signs of melanoma: Asymmetry-a growth with unmatched halves; Border irregularity-ragged or blurred edges; Color-a mottled appearance, with shades of tan, brown, and black, sometimes mixed with red, white, or blue; and Diameter- a growth more than 6 millimeters across (about the size of a pencil eraser), or any unusual increase in size. See your family doctor or dermatologist if you think this applies to you.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Skin cancer is diagnosed by removing all or part of the growth and examining its cells under a microscope. It can be treated by a number of methods, depending on the type of cancer, its stage of growth, and its location in your body.
Most skin cancers are removed surgically, by a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist. If the cancer is small, the procedure can be done quickly and easily, in an outpatient facility or the physician’s office, using local anesthesia. The procedure may be a simple excision, which usually leaves a thin, barely visible scar. Or curettage and desiccation may be performed. In this procedure, the cancer is scraped out with an electric current to control bleeding and kill any remaining cancer cells. This leaves a slightly larger, white scar. In either case, the risks of the surgery are low. If the cancer is large, however, or if it has spread to the lymph glands or elsewhere in the body, major surgery may be required. Other possible treatments for skin cancer include cryosurgery (freezing the cancer cells), radiation therapy (using x-rays), topical chemotherapy (anti-cancer drugs applied to the skin), and Mohs surgery, a special procedure in which the cancer is shaved off one layer at a time. (Mohs surgery is performed only by specially trained physicians and often requires a reconstructive procedure as a follow-up.)
A Word About Reconstruction
The different techniques used in treating skin cancers can be life-saving, but they may leave a patient with less than pleasing cosmetic or functional results. Depending on the location and severity of cancer, the consequences may range from a small but unsightly scar to permanent changes in facial structures such as your nose, ear, or lip. In such cases, no matter who performs the initial treatment, the plastic surgeon can be an important part of the treatment team. Reconstructive techniques- ranging from a simple scar revision to a complex transfer of tissue flaps from elsewhere on the body can often repair damaged tissue, rebuild body parts, and restore most patients to acceptable appearance and function.
Preventing a Recurrence
The overall cost of a Skin Cancer Treatment is affected by anesthesia fees, hospital fees, post-surgery garments, and medications. Price is also impacted by medical tests, surgeon’s fees, and the exact techniques employed.
Dr. Morwood is a board-certified plastic surgeon who will provide a custom-designed approach to help you achieve your aesthetic vision.
Please call (831) 646-8661 to set up a consultation.
The most prevalent form of cancer in humans is skin cancer. Along with the many ubiquitous carcinogens, direct exposure to sun for long periods leads to irreversible damage of skin cells. Skin cancer develops in… Read More
Skin cancer is the result of the abnormal growth of skin cells. The most common cause of skin cancer is excessive exposure to the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. Other causes include a weakened immune system due to… Read More
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