If you’ve been paying attention to recent celebrity news, you may have heard that actor Hugh Jackman is now in his fifth run-in with basal cell carcinoma (BCC). It’s the most common type of skin cancer, affecting more than 3 million people each year.
BCCs are growths that form in basal cells, found in the deepest layer of the skin. They look like red, open sores and are caused by prolonged, intense, unprotected sun exposure. When not treated effectively and promptly, these lesions can become disfiguring.
For more aggressive BCCs or other recurrent skin cancers, or for skin cancers that appear on delicate facial surfaces, patients can opt for Mohs skin cancer reconstructive surgery – a procedure that requires a Mohs surgeon to remove the cancerous legion, and an experienced plastic surgeon specializing in Mohs surgery to reconstruct the skin, camouflage incisions, and perform skin grafts and flap closures. When patients choose this multidisciplinary approach, they’re choosing a procedure with a cure rate that can exceed 99%.
Still, the best way to beat BCC and other skin cancers is to prevent them. That means protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful UVA and UVB rays.
Make sure you’re applying broad-spectrum sunscreen every day – even when it’s cloudy – wearing hats and sunglasses on bright days, and being proactive about getting checked when you notice unusual marks on your skin.
To learn more about Mohs reconstructive surgery, call Kalos Plastic Surgery, LLC today.
