My Chart Patient Portal
Emergency Care
Urgent Care
Language Services
Medical Records
News & Events
Charitable Giving
Programs & Classes
Overview of Facial Skin Cancer Reconstruction
Skin cancer is very common, and when it occurs on the face, it can be disfiguring. Our surgeons use all their training in both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery to help rebuild your face to best hide scars and preserve your appearance and the function of the lips and nose and eyelids. We use many techniques like skin grafting which is basically taking a patch of skin from another part of the body to cover a wound from cancer removal. We also use flaps which are pieces of tissue moved around to cover wounds caused by cancer removal. We use the principle of “replace like with like” as much as possible to achieve the best results possible.
The plastic surgeons work with dermatologists and oncologists and radiation oncologists to coordinate the care of your cancer and make sure you get the most advanced care for your cancer if anything more than surgery is needed. Not everyone needs chemotherapy or radiation, but we are part of the cancer center and coordinate with all the necessary specialists.
What we do procedurally and who is the right candidate for the surgery at Elliot Hospital
Our plastics and reconstructive surgery team is expert in facial skin cancer reconstruction to help individuals regain their confidence and sense of normalcy after skin cancer treatment.
Your Consultation Process with Us and Preparing for Surgery
During your consultation, you and your surgeon will discuss your concerns and your goals as well as your medical and surgical history. Your surgeon will review the types of reconstruction techniques for your situation and discuss your expectations and determine what results can be achieved safely. Photographs will also be taken at the time of consultation to help with planning your procedure.
Your surgical team will also discuss with you how to prepare for surgery. You will be educated on which medications to avoid before surgery, instructions for any new medications that will be added before or after surgery, risks of surgery, postoperative restrictions and incision care, and any pre-op testing that may be required.
Recovery and The New You
After the procedure, you almost always go home the same day and recover in your own home. You may need to avoid activities and keep your head elevated. Patients rarely need anything more than Tylenol and Ibuprofen for pain because these types of operations rarely cause much pain. You will have multiple follow-up visits while we help you heal.