Cancer occurs when cells in the body reproduce abnormally. Cancer can develop in any part of the body. However, when it develops in the skin, it is known as skin cancer. Skin cancer can be caused by ultraviolet radiation produced by the sun, but it can also develop due to a person's genetics. A dermatologist can diagnose skin cancer by performing a visual exam followed by a biopsy of any suspicious skin lesions. Once skin cancer is detected, patients can start their road to recovery using skin cancer treatments. Here are some skin cancer treatments that are often used in this process:
1. Liquid Nitrogen
Liquid nitrogen is often used in dermatologist practices. Liquid nitrogen can be used to freeze tissue on contact, which makes it useful for eradicating small cancerous lesions. This procedure is called cryosurgery, and dermatologists sometimes use it to remove skin cancer and pre-cancerous tissue that has not metastasized to nearby areas. After your cryosurgery, the frozen area will be bandaged, and you will be sent home. Over the next few days, the tissue that was frozen will die and fall away on its own.
2. Excision Surgery
Excision surgery is another technique used to manually remove cancerous tumors from the skin. Dermatologists use scalpels to carefully cut away skin cancer when utilizing this technique. Mohs surgery is a specialized type of excision surgery that can be used to remove skin cancer that is particularly resistant to treatment. During Mohs surgery, the tissue that is removed from the body is analyzed for cancerous cells in a lab. This concurrent analysis allows doctors to ensure that they have completely removed all traces of your skin cancer before closing the incision site.
3. Radiation Therapy
In ideal circumstances, skin cancer can be removed before it spreads throughout the body. However, sometimes skin cancer metastasizes, especially when patients have more aggressive forms of cancer, like melanoma. Radiation therapy can be used to treat metastatic skin cancer. By irradiating areas of the body that have been affected, dermatologists can kill cancer cells before they can spread further. Radiation therapy can come with some side effects, such as hair loss and nausea, so your dermatologist will carefully weigh its benefits and costs.
Your dermatologist will help you figure out which skin cancer treatments are right for you. With early detection and the right procedures, you stand a good chance of recovering from a skin cancer diagnosis. Contact a dermatologist for more information regarding skin cancer treatments.
Share14 October 2021
Do you look in the mirror and wish that your skin was free from blemishes, more vibrant, or more youthful? Skin care and treatments for conditions like acne and psoriasis have come so far in recent years. Dermatologists now understand a lot more about these conditions and are able to prescribe treatment regimens that not only ease symptoms, but treat their underlying causes. This website is a good place to learn more about those treatments. Whether you're someone with acne, a patient with wrinkles, or someone with healthy skin who simply wants to keep it that way, you can benefit from reading about skincare and from seeing a dermatologist.
