Surgery For Skin Cancers And Hairy Moles

Summary

Surgery under local anaesthetic is the "gold standard" against which all other skin cancer treatments are judged.
It has the following advantages: the highest cure rate, a good cosmetic result and the labs can confirm that the cancer has been cured.
It is also used to treat non-cancers that are flat, a nodule within the skin or hairy moles when removing the hairs is an important cosmetic outcome.

FAQS

What are the advantages of Surgery For Skin Cancer?

Surgery For Skin Cancers produces the highest cure rate and a good cosmetic result. In good hands, the cure rate is around 97% and the scars are flat, thin, white lines oriented to show as little as possible. In addition, the labs can confirm that the skin cancer has been cured, removing the need to monitor the treatment site for signs of the cancer growing back.

What are the disadvantages of Surgery For Skin Cancer?

If a good cosmetic result is paramount, Photodynamic Therapy becomes the first choice because Surgery For Skin Cancers does leave some sort of scar. On the lower legs, especially if the skin is thin or the legs are swollen, Photodynamic Therapy or imiquimod cream may be preferred.

Flat, red, basal cell carcinomas on the trunk may be more conveniently by Photodynamic Therapy.

How does Surgery For Skin Cancer work?

Surgery For Skin Cancer works by removing all the visible skin cancer and a surrounding four millimetre cuff of apparently normal skin. This gives around a 97% cure rate. The skin that has been removed is then examined in the labs to confirm the diagnosis and check that the skin cancer has been cured.

When is Mohs, Micrographic, Surgery best used?

Mohs, Micrographic, Surgery, uses the laboratories to guide the extent of the surgery when the edges of the skin cancer can not be seen. It is a more painful and prolonged procedure than routine surgery for skin cancers.

Which areas respond best to Surgery For Skin Cancer?

Surgery For Skin Cancers can be used at almost all body sites. When an excellent cosmetic result is desired, Photodynamic Therapy is an alternative in many circumstances.

Is Surgery For Skin Cancer safe?

Surgery For Skin Cancer is usually carried out under local anaesthetic and so is extremely safe.

Does Surgery For Skin Cancer hurt?

The injection of local anaesthetic is uncomfortable, especially on the face. After that the procedure is painless. The best surgeons, like the best dentists, will inject the local anaesthetic very slowly, give it time to work and test it out carefully before they start operating.

How should I prepare for Surgery For Skin Cancer?

Eat and drink normally before the operation. On the morning of the surgery, take all your regular medications, except strong diuretics (frusemide, bumetanide and torasemide). If the wound if weeping, washing it twice daily and applying benzoyl peroxide cream will cut down the chances of it getting infected afterwards.

What is involved during Surgery For Skin Cancer?

The skin is cleaned and the area to be removed is marked out. Several pin pricks are usually required to inject the local anaesthetic. As the anaesthetic goes into the skin, you will feel a stinging sensation. Once the anaesthetic has worked, the skin is cut out, the bleeding stopped and the edges of the wound sewn together with two or more layers of stitches. The stitches under the skin dissolve after two to twelve months. Any stitches the stick out above the skin are removed one to two weeks later.

How will I look immediately after Surgery For Skin Cancer?

The wound will be covered with a plaster.

Is there any important Surgery For Skin Cancer aftercare?

The local anaesthetic lasts 2-4 hours. Once it wears off, the wound is not normally painful. However, if the wound hurts, take paracetamol-based painkillers and avoid those containing aspirin or ibuprofen. If you can, keep pressure on the wound for four to eight hours after surgery and move it around as little as possible. Good care at this stage is the key to keep complications down and getting a good cosmetic result.

If the wound is below your heart, elevate it so that it is above your heart and has every chance to heal quickly and well.

How long after Surgery For Skin Cancer will I notice an improvement?

A week later, if all has gone well and you have been careful to follow the post-operative instructions, the wound edges will be knitted together. The wound will be a little pink and the scar a bit thickened for a few weeks after surgery. This tends to later two to six months on the face and up to two years on the lower leg.

How much does Surgery For Skin Cancer cost?

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What side-effects does Surgery For Skin Cancer produce?

Bruising and a small amount of bleeding occur after most operations and all surgery produces a scar with some numbness around it which improves with time. Sometimes, the ends of the wound are higher than the centre. This will often settle in time but occasionally the ends of the wound require injections to settle them. If a wound becomes infected, it will usually open and take several weeks to heal, leaving a broad and sometimes unsightly scar.

Thick scars can occur spontaneously. This problem tends to occur on the upper arms and trunk, mainly in people under 25 years of age. A skin graft or flap may never properly match the surrounding skin. The flap or graft may die and it may be necessary to repeat the surgery.

The skin cancer may not be completely removed and a second operation will be required to cure it. Dr Fairris's "cure rate" is 97-98% over the last 1,500 basal cell carcinomas his has operated on. Laboratory studies suggest that this is the best that can be achieved.

Rarely, blood starts to trickle out from under the dressing in the first few hours after surgery. If this happens, you will need to return to have extra stitches placed in the wound. Rarely, a wound will open are surgery because of trauma, poor posture (wounds on the upper back) or over-activity. Rarely, a main nerve bundle is cut leaving a noticeable area of numbness that may never fully recover. This is most common after surgery on the forehead.

Who shouldn't have Surgery For Skin Cancer?

It is probably best to avoid injections of local anaesthetic during the first twelve weeks of pregnancy when possible.