While every person is at some level of risk for melanoma, higher risks depend on various factors such as sun exposure, skin type, number of moles present on the skin, and genetics.

Kind board certified dermatologist Dr. Jamie McGinness and Jackie McGinness, FNP (Nurse Practitioner), who both treat general derm patients, provide skin care treatments to patients in Shiloh, IL; St. Louis, MO, and other suburbs and neighborhoods in this part of the country.

Sun Exposure

Both UVA and UVB rays can cause skin cancer, including melanoma. The risk increases in case of blistering sunburns in early childhood. However, cumulative sun exposure and sunburns later in life can also cause cancer.

Individuals living in areas with more sunlight are more susceptible to skin cancers, but some northern locations with populations that are light-skinned also experience a high rate of cancer.

The use of tanning booths or beds is not advisable since it heightens the risk of UV ray exposure increasing the chances of developing melanoma and other skin cancers.

Moles

The two types of moles include normal moles which are the small brown blemishes, growths, or “beauty spots” that appear in the initial few decades of life in most people. The second type of mole is atypical moles (dysplastic nevi).

Atypical moles may lead to melanoma, and these moles increase the possibility of developing skin cancer. Regardless, the risk of skin cancer is proportional to the number of moles. Individuals with 50 or more moles are believed to be at a higher risk for melanoma.

Skin Type

People with fairer skin, who usually have lighter eye and hair color as well, are at a higher risk of developing skin cancers including melanoma. To know your skin type, take our Skin Type Quiz by clicking here.

Personal History

People who have had melanoma previously face an increased possibility of recurrence. Individuals who have or have had BCC or SCC are at a higher risk of developing melanoma as well.

Weakened Immune System

Chemotherapy, excessive sun exposure, an organ transplant, and conditions such as lymphoma or HIV/AIDS can increase the risk of melanoma development.

Family History

One in every 10 patients diagnosed with melanoma has a family history of the disease. Every person with a first-degree relative who has melanoma has a 50 percent higher possibility of developing the condition in comparison to people with no family history of the disease.

Family Syndrome

Familial Atypical Multiple Mole Melanoma Syndrome (FAMMM) refers to a condition where atypical moles are found in a person from a melanoma-prone family.

Individuals with this syndrome are at a higher risk of developing melanoma. Conversely, a study indicates that family member who did not have atypical moles faced a much lesser risk of melanoma development.

Active Moles

Individuals belonging to melanoma-prone families are subject to mole changes at specific times of their lives. The moles may become larger or change elevation or color, and are described as being active for those durations.

The reason for these changes is not entirely understood. However, it may be related to hormonal fluctuations. During puberty and pregnancy, moles are more active. At-risk people are recommended to not take hormonal meds such as oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy by some, but not all, doctors.

Board certified dermatologist Dr. Jamie McGinness and Jackie McGinness, FNP (Nurse Practitioner) receive patients from Shiloh, IL; St. Louis, MO, and nearby areas for various skin treatments.

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.

Mohs surgery is considered the gold standard in treatment of certain types of skin cancers. The key is to choose a skilled and experienced Mohs surgeon for best results.

During the initial consultation, the Mohs surgeon will explain the steps involved in the procedure.

Accomplished board certified dermatologist Dr. Jamie McGinness and Jackie McGinness, FNP (Nurse Practitioner), who both treat general derm patients, provide skin care treatments to patients in Shiloh, IL; St. Louis, MO, and surrounding locations across the landscape.

Step 1

The patient may be able to wear their regular clothes or put on a hospital gown depending on the location of their skin cancer.

The Mohs surgeon will evaluate the area where the patient had their biopsy and may mark it with a pen for reference. The surgeon will position the patient for best access to the treatment area which may include sitting up or lying down.

A surgical drape will be placed over the treatment site. In case the skin cancer is on the face, the patient may not be able to see the proceedings. However, the surgeon will talk them through it. They will inject a local anesthetic to numb the area fully. The patient remains awake during the procedure.

Step 2

The surgeon will use a scalpel to remove a thin layer of visible malignant tissue. In the case of some skin cancers, this may be the “the tip of the iceberg” which implies that they have extensions or roots that are not apparent from the surface.

The subsequent lab analysis will determine whether this is the case. The surgeon will then temporarily bandage the wound, and the patient can relax as the lab work commences.  

Step 3

The surgeon dissects the tissue into various sections, color codes them using dyes, and draws a map of the surgical area. The lab technician then freezes the dissected tissue and cuts very thin horizontal slices akin to a layer of cake. These slices are mounted on microscopic slides, stained, and covered. This process is quite detailed and time-consuming.

Step 4

The surgeon will evaluate all the sides and the underside of the tissue placed on the slides. In case there are any cancer cells remaining, they will mark the location on the map. The surgeon will then inform the patient of whether they will require another tissue layer to be eliminated.

Step 5

In the operating room, the doctor will administer more anesthetic if necessary and remove another skin layer at the location where the cancer cells persist based on the map. The patient will then wait as the lab work starts. This process will be repeated until there are no more cancer cells remaining.

Step 6

After there are no more cancer cells remaining, the surgeon may leave the wound open to heal or suture it, depending on its size and location. Sometimes the wound may require reconstruction using a skin flap. The surgeon will move surrounding tissue into the wound or use a skin graft.

In most cases, the Mohs surgeon will repair the wound right away after attaining clear margins. However, at times, they may repair the wound in coordination with another specialist.

Step 7

The patient should be prepared to spend several hours for this procedure, especially if more than one or two rounds of skin removal are required. The upside is that this precise technique has the highest rate of cure of any treatment technique and preserves the largest amount of normal tissue while leaving behind the tiniest scar possible.

The patient should carefully follow the surgeon’s wound care, scar care, and follow-up guidelines for best results. Cordial board certified dermatologist Dr. Jamie McGinness and Jackie McGinness, FNP (Nurse Practitioner) receive patients from Shiloh, IL; St. Louis, MO, and other suburbs and cities in this part of the US for various skin treatments.

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.

Cryotherapy (cryosurgery) is a skin cancer treatment that involves the use of very low temperatures generated by liquid nitrogen (or argon gas) to destruct abnormal tissue.

Cryotherapy can treat external tumors such as growths on the skin. It is used in the treatment of early skin cancers including both squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas. It can also address precancerous skin growths called actinic keratosis.

Board certified dermatologist Dr. Jamie McGinness and Jackie McGinness, FNP (Nurse Practitioner), who both treat general derm patients, provide skin care treatments to patients in Shiloh, IL; St. Louis, MO, and surrounding communities.

How is cryotherapy performed?

Cryotherapy is a fast and simple in-office procedure. The doctor may draw a margin (outlines) around the region and typically spray the nitrogen. At times, a swab or cryoprobe may be used.

The doctor will hold the sprayer around one cm above the lesion, and an iceball will develop around the lesion and margin as the doctor sprays the site. The doctor will spray the site for up to 30 seconds after the iceball develops.

This helps the site to remain frozen for long enough to destruct the tissue. According to the lesion, the doctor may allow the site to thaw for two to three minutes before re-freezing the area. However, re-freezing may not be necessary for actinic keratosis.

The probe or spray reaches temperatures as low as -13ºF to -58ºF.1. This enables the cells to freeze instantly. Further destruction occurs as swelling develops in the area within 24 hours.

Types of Skin Cancers Treated with Cryotherapy

Actinic keratosis is commonly treated with cryotherapy. Actinic keratosis refers to a precancerous lesion or skin abnormality that may develop into skin cancer. Around ten percent of actinic keratoses develop into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).

Therefore, the doctor may recommend cryotherapy to treat actinic keratoses, and it cures between 75 and 99 percent of actinic keratoses. At times, cryotherapy is used in the treatment of SCC, basal cell carcinoma (BCC), and small Kaposi sarcoma lesions on the face.

What to Expect before, during, and after Cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy may be painful, and the patient can experience a burning sensation of discomfort in the treated area. The doctor will explain wound care to the patient following cryotherapy. A blister will develop in the treated site within one day, and a scab will develop a few days later.

Benefits of Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy is less invasive in comparison to surgery. It involves only a tiny incision or inserting the cryoprobe through the skin. This minimizes pain, bleeding, and other complications of surgery.

This procedure is also more affordable and has a shorter recovery period and hospital stay, or at times, no hospital stay. Sometimes cryotherapy is performed under local anesthesia.

Cryotherapy is a targeted treatment which helps preserve the surrounding healthy tissue. Repeat treatments can be performed safely, and cryotherapy can also be administered in combination with chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and hormone therapy.

This procedure may be appropriate for the treatment of cancers that are deemed inoperable or those that are unresponsive to traditional treatments. It is also suitable for patients who are not ideal candidates for conventional surgery due to their health condition or age.

Focused board certified dermatologist Dr. Jamie McGinness and Jackie McGinness, FNP (Nurse Practitioner) receive patients from Shiloh, IL; St. Louis, MO, and other suburbs and communities across the horizon for various skin treatments.

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.