Recovering from Skin Cancer Treatment

Get Skin Cancer Removal and Reconstructive Plastic Surgery in Naples, FL

Each year, almost 3.3 million Americans will be treated for skin cancer, and nearly one in five Americans will develop skin cancer at some point in their lifetimes. This makes skin cancer one of the most prevalent forms of cancer in the U.S. While recognizing and removing skin cancer is important one might need to consider reconstruction options after removal. As such, including an experienced plastic surgeon on your recovery team at the beginning of treatment can minimize tissue damage, offer insight into treatment, and reconstruct the affected area.

Recognizing and Treating Skin Cancer

Regularly scheduled skin cancer screenings can properly and accurately determine if bumps, sores, discolorations or white patches on your skin are harmful to your health.  Your physician can perform a biopsy on the area in question to determine if it poses a greater health risk. If the area is deemed suspicious, the skin cancer can be removed by a plastic surgeon using minimally invasive techniques.

Cosmetic Surgery after Cancer Removal

Skin cancer removal may remove a significant amount of tissue and leave an unsightly scar. Many plastic surgeons specialize in skin cancer reconstructive surgery. Using a variety of techniques like skin graft or flaps, a cosmetic surgeon can restore a natural appearance to an affected area.

Reconstruction

While the treatments for skin cancer are designed to save lives, they can also leave the skin and tissue damaged, cosmetically unappealing, or both. Your outcome depends on the severity and location of the cancer as well as the skill of your treatment team. After removal, your skin may have scars ranging from near-invisible imperfections to significant changes to the epidermis and underlying tissue.

Your cosmetic surgeon should be an integral part of this process so that serious scarring is avoided. Plastic surgeons are able to remove the cancer in the lease invasive way and design personalized reconstructive treatments ranging from minor scar removal to total restoration.

Recurrence Prevention

You should keep up with your scheduled follow-up visits with your doctors to give yourself the best chance for preventing a recurrence of skin cancer. It is in the best interest of your health—and appearance—to minimize your risks by avoiding extended sun exposure, especially from late morning to early afternoon, wearing protective clothing when going into the sun for an extended period of time, utilizing a powerful sunscreen on any exposed skin, and checking in with your doctor or plastic surgeon regularly.

Your Reconstructive Options

If you have recently been diagnosed with a malignant skin cancer and are preparing for surgery, ask if your doctor can recommend a plastic surgeon for removal and repair.  It is usually helpful to consult with a highly experienced plastic surgeon to learn more about follow up surgeries that can reverse scarring and restore a more natural appearance to affected areas.

Skilled plastic surgeons like Dr. Paul Gardner can also provide you a valuable second opinion concerning your skin cancer diagnosis, treatment options and potential reconstructive procedures. To learn more about skin cancer removal and reconstructive surgery in Naples, FL, please contact Gardner Plastic Surgery at 239.566.2611 or email them.