I think I have a skin cancer, what do I do now?
Only a trained professional can accurately decide if skin cancer exists and what type it may be. If you think you have skin cancer please consult with a doctor to confirm the diagnosis and plan a course for treatment If an area of skin is determined to be cancerous don’t fret! A very effective treatment called Mohs surgery is available at The University Park Dermatology and Medical Spa to remove most tumors. Mohs surgery is a procedure for removing cancerous areas of skin by first removing the main growth, then removing small layers of the skin around and underneath the main growth, staining them, and examining them under a microscope to determine if all the mutated cells have been removed. If cancerous cells remain, another layer of skin is removed and again examined under a microscope. This process is repeated until no cancerous cells remain in the area.
Why Mohs?
Mohs surgery has been around for decades, however, the procedure has become much more precise in recent years. Because Mohs surgery involves taking one layer of skin at a time and examining each layer until the cancer is completely gone, the procedure is able to have nearly a 99% success rate with minimal damage to the surrounding non-cancerous skin. Since skin cancer is most likely to develop in areas that are exposed to direct sunlight such as the face and ears, this ability to leave skin surrounding the tumor intact is especially important to prevent any disfigurement as a result of the surgery.
Dr. Sax’s experience and training in this technique ensures that your surgery will completely remove all traces of a cancerous growth. His additional expertise in cosmetic reconstruction means any scarring or change in appearance resulting from the Mohs treatment can most often be repaired in the same day, and at the same facility, leaving you healthy and looking great.
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