The thought of scarring after skin cancer reconstruction can be daunting, but we’re here to put your mind at ease. Dr. Jonathan Grant, a double board-certified and fellowship-trained plastic surgeon in Mt Vernon, WA, and our caring team provide concierge-level care to help our skin cancer patients minimize scarring and restore their appearance after skin cancer surgery.
With advanced techniques and personalized attention, Dr. Grant ensures the best possible outcomes for every patient.
How Reconstruction Minimizes Scarring
Reconstruction after skin cancer often follows Mohs surgery, a highly precise procedure that removes thin layers of cancerous tissue while preserving the maximum healthy skin.
Dr. Grant collaborates with your Mohs surgeon to plan your skin cancer reconstruction procedure.
After cancer removal, Dr. Grant uses advanced reconstructive techniques such as:
- Skin Grafts: With skin grafts, Dr. Grant transplants a small piece of skin from another area of your body to cover the surgical site. Dr. Grant may use this technique when the removed cancerous lesion was large and you don’t have enough remaining skin to close the wound and heal smoothly. A skin graft can help ensure proper healing and a natural appearance.
- Cartilage Grafts: Often used for reconstructing areas like the nose, cartilage grafts help restore structure and functionality.
- Soft Tissue Repositioning: After skin cancer removal, Dr. Grant may need to reposition the surrounding tissue to blend well with any grafts and conform with the natural contours of your skin.
These methods reduce the visible impact of cancer removal and improve the reconstruction’s functionality and aesthetic outcome.
Tips for Reducing Scarring After Surgery
You play an essential role in the success of your skin cancer reconstruction. These tips can help you avoid scarring:
- Sun Protection: Use broad-spectrum sunscreen and wear protective clothing to prevent UV rays from darkening scars.
- Topical Products: After reconstruction, Dr. Grant may prescribe topical medications or creams to help encourage healing, reduce inflammation, and promote smooth scar healing.
- Stay Hydrated: Proper hydration can aid tissue repair.
- Avoid Smoking: Smoking can delay skin healing and worsen the appearance of scars.
Dr. Grant and his team provide detailed aftercare instructions to help ensure your recovery goes as smoothly as possible.
Factors That Affect Scarring
The area of the skin cancer and its size both affect scar visibility. In addition, some patients have a genetic predisposition to developing keloids (raised scars).
However, with Dr. Grant’s collaborative approach with your Mohs surgeon, you have more control over the factors that affect scarring.
The Mohs surgery technique helps preserve healthy tissue, reducing the size of the reconstruction area and improving the overall outcome. In addition, Dr. Grant expertly places incisions in natural skin creases or wrinkles whenever possible, which helps make scars less noticeable.
What may appear as a prominent scar immediately after surgery will gradually improve in texture and color over a year. Patience is key as the body remodels scar tissue during the healing process.
Skin Cancer Reconstruction in Mt Vernon
We’re here to help ease your anxiety around scarring after skin cancer surgery. Call Dr. Jonathan Grant at 360-336-1947 in Mt Vernon, WA, to schedule your consultation.
