Excision of Facial and other Skin Cancers

Skin cancer is the most common form of human cancer. It is estimated that over 1 million new cases occur annually. The annual rates of all forms of skin cancer are increasing each year, representing a growing public concern. It has also been estimated that nearly half of all Americans who live to age 65 will develop skin cancer at least once. Living here, in Jacksonville, FL, we are even more at risk due to the intensity of the sun and our love of the outdoors. At TruYou Plastic Surgery, we help patients with concerns over new skin spots by surgically removing and performing a biopsy of the areas.  Many of our skin cancer patients are referred to us by local dermatologists, ENT surgeons, and general surgeons who want us to remove the lesions so that they heal with less scaring.

What to watch out for:

The most common warning sign of skin cancer is a change in the appearance of the skin, such as a new growth or a sore that will not heal. You also need to note the color, border, size, and any other changes in the shape of the lesion.

The term “skin cancer” refers to three different conditions. From the least to the most dangerous, they are:

• basal cell carcinoma (or basal cell carcinoma epithelioma)
• squamous cell carcinoma (the first stage of which is called actinic keratosis)
• melanoma

The two most common forms of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Together, these two are also referred to as nonmelanoma skin cancer. Melanoma is generally the most serious form of skin cancer because it tends to spread (metastasize) throughout the body quickly.

What to do if you are concerned

• Call us at TruYou Plastics to set up an appointment for biopsy of the lesion
• If you already have a diagnosis of a skin cancer, ask your primary doctor or dermatologist to refer you to us for removal
• Most insurance plan do not require a referral to a specialist. So all you need to do is call!