Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States with 500,000 new cases reported each year. Approximately 80% of skin cancers appear on the face, head or neck – and can be disfiguring as well as dangerous. There three primary types of skin cancer:

• Basal cell carcinoma: the least dangerous type, it tends to grow slowly and rarely spreads beyond its original site. If left untreated it can grow deep beneath the skin causing serious damage, particularly in the eye area.
• Squamous cell carcinoma: this cancer tends to appear on the lips, face or ears and is known to spread. Squamous cell carcinoma is often more aggressive and can be more serious than Basal cell carcinoma.
• Malignant melamona: the least common form of skin cancer, but with an incidence is increasing rapidly, especially in the Sunbelt states. If left untreated this type of cancer may spread throughout the body and is often deadly.

If your physician indicates you may have skin cancer or if you have any reason to suspect you, make an appointment with Dr. Moore or another plastic surgeon immediately. There are three initial steps in skin cancer treatment: evaluation, excision and reconstruction. A pathologist is available on-site at Azalea Center for Plastic Surgery, providing an immediate frozen pathology analysis. Dr. Moore works with patients to achieve optimum reconstruction results if possible. Each patient’s condition, excision and any subsequent treatment is different and requires individual attention. Even if your excision was not performed at Azalea Center, Dr. Moore will be happy to talk with you about reconstruction.