Diagnosing and Treating Skin Cancer

Today's innovative treatment techniques make facing a skin cancer diagnosis much less frightening. Daytona Beach, FL, dermatologist Dr. skin cancerJeffrey Heller explains how skin cancer is diagnosed and treated.

How can I tell if I have skin cancer?

You may have skin cancer if you have:

  • Sores that don't heal
  • Shiny bumps that look like warts or pimples, but never seem to go away
  • Patches of dry, flaky skin that remain no matter what you do to treat them
  • Changes in moles (Moles that change color or size, bleed, are larger than a pencil eraser or develop irregular borders should be evaluated.)

Many of these signs can be very subtle. After all, most of us get pimples or notice dry skin occasionally. If you realize that you've had a spot or patch of flaky skin for more than a few weeks, it's time to schedule an appointment with our Daytona office. Changes to moles should be reported as soon as you notice them.

When you visit the office, we'll remove either the entire bump, spot or mole, or a portion of it, and send it to a laboratory for a biopsy. You'll receive a topical anesthetic before we remove the sample and won't experience any pain during the procedure.

What happens if I have skin cancer?

Should the biopsy reveal that you have skin cancer, we may recommend one of these treatments depending on the type and stage of cancer:

  • Topical Medications: Applying a prescription topical medication daily for six weeks can remove skin cancers confined to the outer skin layers. The medication works by triggering your immune system to make a chemical that kills skin cancer cells.
  • Cryosurgery: Liquid nitrogen freezes and kills the cancerous cells. Skin treated with liquid nitrogen blisters and eventually flakes away, taking cancerous cells with it.
  • Curettage and Electrodesiccation: After the cancerous cells are scraped off the skin with a metal instrument, a gentle electrical current is used to kill any lingering skin cancer cells.
  • Surgical Excision: Your dermatologist uses a scalpel to remove cancerous cells and a margin of healthy cells around the growth or spot. Additional surgeries may be necessary if a biopsy reveals that cancerous cells are still present.
  • Mohs Micrographic Surgery: Mohs surgery results in less scarring and less damage to healthy skin than surgical excision because the skin is removed layer by layer. After removing one layer, your dermatologist examines the cells with a microscope. Additional layers are removed one-by-one until there are no longer any cancerous cells present.
  • Radiation Treatment: Radiation treatment may be used to kill remaining cancer cells after other treatments or to treat cancer that has returned. It may also be recommended if you have cancer on the ear, eyelid or another area that's difficult to reach.

Prompt treatment is essential if you have skin cancer. Call Port Orange and Daytona Beach, FL, dermatologist Dr. Jeffrey Heller at (386) 239-8700 to schedule your appointment.

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511 N. Clyde Morris Blvd. Daytona Beach, FL 32114

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Monday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Tuesday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Wednesday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Thursday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Friday:

8:00 am-5:00 pm

Saturday:

Closed

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