Skin Cancer Reconstruction

Facial skin cancer is a common finding among fair skinned patients, particularly as they approach the 6th and 7th decades of life, but can occur much younger.  Typically, skin cells that have prolonged exposure to sunlight at a young age undergo

malignant transformation over time.  When these lesion come to the attention of a dermatologist or head and neck surgeon, the gold standard of management is complete surgical excision of the diseased skin along with a margin of healthy appearing tissue.  While these surgical approaches are often very successful in remove the cancer, a large defect on the face or nose is often left behind and can be disfiguring to the appearance.  This is where the surgical skills of a Facial Plastic Surgeon are particularly useful.  Below is a sample of some of the defects from skin cancer and their closure.