Surgical dermatology has made it possible to treat skin cancers effectively, provided they are detected early. However, not every type of skin cancer is treatable in the same manner.
Each type of skin cancer needs a customized approach to treat it successfully. Some serious skin cancers warrant a more invasive approach which may involve a significant amount of surgical removal of the skin.
Dr. Jamie L. McGinness is a board-certified dermatologist and the only fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon currently serving the Metro East Illinois St. Louis area. Dr. McGinness provides surgical dermatology procedures to patients in Shiloh, IL; St. Louis, MO, and surrounding communities.
Dr. McGinness’ expertise in surgical dermatology includes:
- Excisional Surgery
- Mohs Micrographic Surgery
- Reconstructive Surgery
Mohs Micrographic Surgery
Mohs micrographic surgery is a cutting-edge, precise, and efficient technique to surgically remove a wide range of skin cancer types. This surgery removes cancer while minimizing damage to the surrounding normal tissue.
This procedure is considered as the most effective and successful method of treating Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCCs) and Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCCs). Notably, Mohs surgery has a remarkable cure rate of up to 99 percent for skin cancer. This is substantially higher than other accepted cancer treatment techniques.
Mohs micrographic surgery may be the most effective treatment for skin cancers on the neck and head, specifically cancer that is:
- Located on the head (forehead, temple, nose, eyes, ears, or lips), fingers, neck, or toes
- Significant
- Poorly defined
- Recurrent (cancer recurs following previous treatment)
Excisional Surgery
The nature of the cancerous growth or lesion and its location may warrant surgical removal or excision. A majority of skin lesions can be removed while using only local anesthesia in an out-patient procedure.
Three types of basic excisional surgery are as follows:
- Shave removal: This technique is usually performed to surgically remove elevated growths such as raised moles.
- Scissor excision or snip excision: This approach is also used for raised lesions such as skin tags.
- Full excision: This technique removes the tumor especially when the growths have reached the deeper dermis levels or tumors that are cancerous such as melanoma.
Full Excisional Surgery
This surgery may be performed under local anesthesia contingent to the depth and location of the tumor. This surgery involves placing an elliptical incision surrounding the lesion and penetrating the fatty tissue underneath the growth to completely remove it.
The surgeon will have to remove a margin of normal tissue around the edges if the growth. This tissue is pathologically analyzed later to make sure that all abnormal cells have been excised.
Reconstructive Surgery
Reconstructive surgery may offer patients who have undergone a growth removal an opportunity to restore the cosmetic appearance and functional structures that may have been damaged during the excision of cancer or non-cancerous growths.
The patient may require advanced reconstruction depending on the depth and location of the growth that has been excised, the amount of skin eliminated to make sure the removal is complete, and the availability of adjacent skin (for instance, in sites around the nose and ear) to address the defect.
Board certified dermatologist Dr. Jamie McGinness receives patients from Shiloh, IL; St. Louis, MO, and nearby areas.
If you would like to learn more about procedures and treatments at Metro East Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center by Board Certified Dermatologist Dr. Jamie L. McGinness please contact us here or call (618) 622-SKIN (7546)
Taking new patients in and around the greater St. Louis, Missouri and Illinois area: East St. Louis Missouri, Shiloh Illinois, Belleville, Millstadt, Saint Clair County, Madison County and more.