SURGICAL DERMATOLOGY
Our board-certified and fellowship-trained dermatologist and Mohs surgeon
specializes in all of your skin surgery needs.
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MOHS MICROGRAPHIC SURGERY
Mohs micrographic surgery is the gold standard technique used to treat many non-melanoma skin cancers primarily on the head and neck. The cancer is removed and 100% of the margin is checked under the microscope while you wait by the Mohs surgeon. Then, once the cancer has been confirmed as removed, the defect is repaired by the Mohs surgeon. Mohs surgeons are double-board certified in dermatology and Mohs surgery and are experts at the surgical removal, the examination under the microscope and the reconstruction at the end of the procedure.
melanoma
Melanoma is the third most common type of skin cancer but it is a more aggressive type of skin cancer. It can appear as a new brown, black or pink spot or as a changing mole. There are multiple appearances of melanoma so if you have concerns, it is important to have a board-certified dermatologist examine your skin. Whenever someone has a melanoma, the depth of the melanoma is measured under the microscope. This step occurs during the initial reading and interpretation of the biopsy (or the skin sample that was sent to the laboratory). The depth of a melanoma helps guide treatment options that can range from an excision with a safety margin to a referral to a surgical oncologist for lymph node testing or a medical oncologist for immunotherapy treatments. There have been many advances in the treatment of melanoma so if you have concerns, please make an appointment to ensure that you are getting the best and most appropriate treatment.
basal cell carcinoma
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common skin cancer in the United States. It arises from the basal cells in the skin and causes a generally slow-growing but locally destructive cancer. It can present as a growth that is bleeding, itching or hurting. It can have multiple appearances on the skin, which is why it is important to see a board-certified dermatologist to evaluate any growing or changing spots on your skin.
SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common type of skin cancer. It arises from the squamous cells in the skin which are neighbors to basal cells. It can present as a growth that is painful, itching or bleeding. If you have any new growths that you are concerned about, it is important to have it evaluated by a board-certified dermatologist.
excisional surgery
Surgical excisions are procedures to remove various growths from the skin. Excisions can be performed to remove skin cancers in certain lower-risk locations like the arms, legs, abdomen or back. The cancer in this area would be removed with a standardized surgical margin and is still sent to the pathology lab for evaluation. Benign (non-cancerous) lesions can also be removed this way with variable safety margins. Common examples include cysts and lipomas.
atypical nevi
Atypical nevi can be managed both medically and surgically depending on the situation. An atypical nevus is mole that is in between benign and malignant. Depending on the severity of the mole, sometimes they can be treated with monitoring or sometimes they should be removed with surgery.
cysts
Cysts are collections of normal skin that are growing underneath the skin - almost like a balloon. Because they are growing in a place that they don't normal grow, they appear like a firm ball underneath the skin. That balloon of normal skin behaves like normal skin. The dead skin cells that normally just fall off of us now have nowhere to go which is why cysts can grow and shrink. Cysts are not cancers but they often do not go away on their own, which is why they can be removed with a benign excision.
lipomas
Similar to a cyst, a lipoma is a collection of normal fat that grows in a clump underneath the skin. Because it grows in a group, a lipoma can generally feel like a softer mass underneath the skin's surface. Some lipomas can run in families. Lipomas can sometimes be tender or can continue to grow slowly over time. If bothersome, lipomas can be removed with benign excisions.