June is Cancer From the Sun Awareness Month

Summer is upon us, so that means spending lots of time in the sun. Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and luckily, it’s also one of the most preventable. Protect yourself from the sun this summer to help keep your skin safe.

Skin cancer is often treated with surgery. The Mohs surgery is a commonly performed procedure that involves removing cancer from the skin, leaving healthy tissue behind, as determined by examining the tissue under the microscope. This allows for minimizing the amount of healthy tissue removed while maintaining a high cure rate by removing all of the cancer containing skin. This is particularly important around the eyes, lips, or nose, where you would want to keep as much healthy tissue as possible.

Mohs surgery is performed by dermatologists with advanced training in the procedure. Some Mohs surgeons will perform the closures and reconstruction following removal of the skin cancer, especially if it is only a small defect. These types of closures are usually done the same day as the skin cancer removal. Other Mohs surgeons will enlist the assistance of plastics and reconstructive surgeons for the closures, particularly if the defect is large.

Dr. Rothbaum performs facial reconstructive surgery for those patients who have undergone MOHS surgery by their dermatologist. He works closely with a patient’s dermatologist in order to coordinate care, which results in a quick transition from the excision of a cancerous lesion to reconstruction with aesthetically pleasing results. Dr. Rothbaum utilizes highly specialized and meticulous techniques which retain both the function and the natural appearance of the facial features.

June is Cancer From the Sun Awareness Month