Skin cancers can be life-threatening, especially in cases of melanoma. When caught early, removal of moles and other dangerous growths is fairly simple, but occasionally, the removal can be more complex and reconstructive surgery may be required. Depending on the type and stage of your skin cancer and how much skin and tissue around the cancer needs to be removed, reconstructive surgery may be recommended in order to replace the skin and tissue and to minimize scarring.
Particularly large skin cancer lesions are being removed with frozen sections. If they are likely to cause disfigurement, the area may be reconstructed with a local flap, with healthy, adjacent tissue being repositioned over the wound. The suture line is positioned to follow the natural creases and curves of the face if possible, to minimize the obviousness of the resulting scar. Your surgeon may choose to treat your wound with a skin graft instead of a local flap. Be sure to ask your plastic surgeon specific questions about what you can expect during your individual recovery period.