Skin Cancer

An estimated 9,500 new diagnoses of skin cancer occur every day. To lower your risk for the complications cancer can cause, Comprehensive Dermatology provides high-quality, compassionate skin cancer testing and treatment plans. The team uses advanced laser therapies, excision surgery, and other techniques to remove cancerous tissue and prevent skin cancer from spreading. Call the office in Woodmere or Westbury, New York, to schedule a skin cancer consultation or book an appointment online today.

What is skin cancer?

Skin cancer is a disease that develops when skin cells divide abnormally. There are several types of skin cancer you can develop, including basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer, if you spend time in the sun without sunscreen protection.

You can also develop melanoma, an aggressive cancer that can lead to potentially life-threatening complications. Melanoma develops in the melanocytes — skin cells that produce the pigment that gives your skin its color.

Comprehensive Dermatology provides compassionate care for skin cancer, including diagnostic testing services and customized treatment plans.

When should I seek medical care for skin cancer?

You should schedule a diagnostic evaluation at Comprehensive Dermatology if you have warning signs of skin cancer, such as:

• Skin lesions
• Bleeding sores
• Irregularly shaped moles
• Moles that bleed

These issues can occur anywhere on your skin. For that reason, you should check your skin regularly for any noticeable changes. You should also schedule routine skin cancer screenings at Comprehensive Dermatology to identify signs of skin cancer in the earliest stages.

To confirm your symptoms relate to skin cancer and what type of cancer you have, the team examines your skin and performs a biopsy to remove a tissue sample for further testing.

How is skin cancer treated?

The standard treatment for all types of skin cancer is the removal of the cancerous tissue. Comprehensive Dermatology offers several types of skin cancer surgery and treatments to meet your needs, including:

Topical creams

Topical creams can treat certain types of superficial cancers that result from sun damage. They work by destroying abnormal and fast-growing skin cells. 

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy uses liquid nitrogen to freeze and destroy cancerous tissue.

Excision surgery

Excision surgery involves cutting away the cancerous tissue and a portion of the healthy tissue that surrounds it.

Mohs surgery

During Mohs surgery, your surgeon removes one layer of skin tissue at a time and examines it under a microscope. The process repeats until the sample no longer shows cancerous cells.

Laser and light treatments

Advanced laser and light therapies are available to destroy cancerous tissue without harming nearby skin. 

In some cases, follow-up treatments with chemotherapy or radiation therapy may be necessary to ensure the cancer doesn’t spread. The team provides ongoing surveillance to monitor your skin for additional skin cancer symptoms. 

Call the Comprehensive Dermatology office near you to schedule a skin cancer evaluation or book an appointment online today.