How To Defeat Skin Cancer And Save Your Face
Skin cancer is one of the most common types of the disease, and thousands find out they have it every year. Most cases are not so severe and can be treated easily by a skilled physician.
Unfortunately, most skin cancer cases affect the face. This is the part of your body that gets the most exposure to the sun, but it is also the most visible. If it is detected early enough, it can be easily treated using one of the following techniques.
Freezing Off
In mild cases, you can use cryotherapy. Cryotherapy is a treatment that uses liquid nitrogen to freeze off affected areas, in much the same way as warts are frozen off.
At first, there may be some blistering and you will have to keep the frozen areas covered. Within a month, scab tissue will develop, and it will simply fall off. As long as cancerous cells don't reappear, you are finished and you can enjoy your normal, healthy life again.
Scrape It Off
Another treatment for mild cases is electrodessication and curettage (ED&C). This process involves burning and scraping off the affected areas. It hurts, so your doctor will use a local anesthetic.
Scraping off the affected cells is effective against benign forms of the disease because they don't attach themselves to regular cells. After the scraping is finished, the area is burned with a laser just in case there are any remaining cells, in order to prevent growth.
Mohs Surgery
The most effective type of removal for serious cases is Mohs surgery. This uses highly focused lasers to cut out the tumor, while preserving as much of the natural facial material as possible. These microscopic lasers are precise enough to cut out just the affected area.
It is difficult and requires a highly trained physician. The process is done in several stages, and can be very trying for both patient and doctor. However, the results are wonderful. This treatment has the highest success rate of any in treating skin cancer.
Whether or not you are a candidate for Mohs surgery depends on the nature of the disease. There are different types, and treatments vary for each. A physician will be able to tell you if Mohs surgery is an option.
Reconstruction Surgery Using Implants
When areas of the face have been removed, implants can help you regain what you've lost. Implants are designed for every area of the face. Cheek, chin and jaw implants are the most common and offer the best results.
Implants are made of two different materials, silicon and porex. Unlike the silicon breast implants, there have been no problems with silicon facial implants. Ask your doctor to recommend which type of implant is best for you.
Skin cancer is not the end of the world, and it's not the end of your face either. Early detection and successful treatment can get you back to your normal life, and you can forget you ever had it.
Unfortunately, most skin cancer cases affect the face. This is the part of your body that gets the most exposure to the sun, but it is also the most visible. If it is detected early enough, it can be easily treated using one of the following techniques.
Freezing Off
In mild cases, you can use cryotherapy. Cryotherapy is a treatment that uses liquid nitrogen to freeze off affected areas, in much the same way as warts are frozen off.
At first, there may be some blistering and you will have to keep the frozen areas covered. Within a month, scab tissue will develop, and it will simply fall off. As long as cancerous cells don't reappear, you are finished and you can enjoy your normal, healthy life again.
Scrape It Off
Another treatment for mild cases is electrodessication and curettage (ED&C). This process involves burning and scraping off the affected areas. It hurts, so your doctor will use a local anesthetic.
Scraping off the affected cells is effective against benign forms of the disease because they don't attach themselves to regular cells. After the scraping is finished, the area is burned with a laser just in case there are any remaining cells, in order to prevent growth.
Mohs Surgery
The most effective type of removal for serious cases is Mohs surgery. This uses highly focused lasers to cut out the tumor, while preserving as much of the natural facial material as possible. These microscopic lasers are precise enough to cut out just the affected area.
It is difficult and requires a highly trained physician. The process is done in several stages, and can be very trying for both patient and doctor. However, the results are wonderful. This treatment has the highest success rate of any in treating skin cancer.
Whether or not you are a candidate for Mohs surgery depends on the nature of the disease. There are different types, and treatments vary for each. A physician will be able to tell you if Mohs surgery is an option.
Reconstruction Surgery Using Implants
When areas of the face have been removed, implants can help you regain what you've lost. Implants are designed for every area of the face. Cheek, chin and jaw implants are the most common and offer the best results.
Implants are made of two different materials, silicon and porex. Unlike the silicon breast implants, there have been no problems with silicon facial implants. Ask your doctor to recommend which type of implant is best for you.
Skin cancer is not the end of the world, and it's not the end of your face either. Early detection and successful treatment can get you back to your normal life, and you can forget you ever had it.