Does a dermatologic surgeon perform skin cancer surgery?

Dermatologic surgery covers procedures on the skin and nearby tissue. For a suspected or confirmed skin cancer, the surgeon examines the lesion, considers its type, size, position and borders, and selects a suitable operation. This may involve cutting out the cancer with a margin of surrounding skin, then closing the area with stitches or arranging another form of wound repair.

The removed tissue can be sent for laboratory examination so the diagnosis and edges of the excision can be checked. In some cases, a technique that examines tissue margins during surgery is appropriate. The plan depends on the cancer, its location and your general health; surgery is not identical for every skin lesion.

Arrange an assessment if a dermatologist has recommended surgical removal or if a changing, bleeding or non-healing growth needs evaluation. Bring details of previous biopsies, operations, allergies and medicines, including medicines that affect bleeding. Tell the team about implanted devices, immune conditions and any difficulty healing after earlier procedures.

Ask whether a biopsy is needed first, what type of anaesthetic will be used, how the wound will be closed, and how to protect it afterward. A clinician may also explain whether another specialist should be involved when the lesion is close to an eye, nose, lip or other functionally sensitive area.

Contact the treating clinic promptly after surgery if bleeding does not settle with firm, continuous pressure, the wound opens, pain is worsening rather than easing, or redness and swelling are spreading. Fever, pus or a marked change in the wound also needs medical advice.

Before treatment, seek an assessment for a spot that repeatedly bleeds, forms a crust and fails to heal, changes noticeably, or develops a new irregular area. These features do not establish cancer on their own, but they warrant examination rather than home treatment.

Useful questions include: What diagnosis is being treated? Will the tissue be examined after removal? How much skin may need to be removed? How will the wound be repaired? What restrictions apply while it heals? When will the result and follow-up plan be discussed?