Surgical Dermatology

Mohs surgery is the most effective treatment for basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. Mohs surgery often is used in the treatment of skin cancers on the face, scalp, hands, feet and genitals, though it also can be used on other areas of the body. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia in our Paddock Park office. Mohs surgery uses a precise technique to sequentially remove layers of skin and adjacent soft tissue. The tissue is processed in our on site lab. The excised layers of tissue are frozen, stained with special dyes and then examined under the microscope to determine if they contain remaining cancer cells. This process typically takes between 60-90 minutes while the patient waits. If more cancer cells are present, an additional skin layer is then removed and examined. Repeated removals of skin are limited to areas in which cancer cells remain. This sequential excision procedure continues until microscopic examinations confirm that the skin cancer has been completely removed. After the skin cancer has been removed, the surgeon treats the wound in a manner that will promote both good healing and preservation of appearance.

Scraping or burning-off skin growths (also known as electrodesiccation and curettage) can be used for less serious skin cancers, pre-cancers and benign growths. A local anesthetic is injected, and then the abnormal tissue is scraped off with a special tool. The area is then cauterized until bleeding stops. This may be repeated if the growth is cancerous. The wound will need to be dressed until it heals, and it usually leaves a small white mark.

This treatment involves removing a visible skin cancer lesion plus a small amount of surrounding healthy skin tissue. Surgical excision can be used to completely remove the lesion to surgically cure the cancer or to take a tissue sample of a suspicious lesion for biopsy. Any samples removed are typically sent to a laboratory to be examined by a pathologist. Your provider will determine the safest option for you based on the type and stage of cancer and your overall health. During a surgical excision for skin cancers, the affected area is numbed with a local anesthetic. The remaining skin may be stitched together.

Our expert providers perform surgical excisions in ways that maximize the cosmetic outcome and minimize scarring and functional impairment. Surgical excision is a common treatment for removing benign or malignant skin growths on the trunk or extremities (such as Basal cell carcinoma, Squamous cell carcinoma, or Malignant melanoma).

A type of surgery that involves the use of extreme cold to destroy abnormal tissues and benign growths. The surgery most often involves the use of liquid nitrogen. When liquid nitrogen has a temperature between -346 and -320°F, it instantly freezes nearly anything that’s in contact with it. In the case of human tissue, it can kill and destroy cells upon contact. This is important when the cells you want to kill are cancerous.