Treating skin cancers in Pittsburgh is becoming increasingly more necessary as UV exposure increases in the North American continent. Even in Pittsburgh where there is a moderate climate with many cloudy days,  patients are presenting in their late 20s and 30s with basal and squamous cell carcinomas because  of sunburns in their childhood and teens.

I believe traditional excision with margins or Moh’s surgery for lesions in critical places (orbital, nasal tip, lips) is the gold standard. The skin cancer consultation starts with an examination of the problem lesion, but ends up surveying the whole body. The offending lesion sometimes is biopsied first, if I am not sure of the diagnosis.   I carry out these skin cancer surgeries many times a month. Most of these surgeries are done  in our outpatient Radiance Surgery Center near Pittsburgh, and take less than an hour perform under local or local sedation anesthesia.  With good wound care and scar treatment after the skin cancer surgery many patients get excellent cosmetic results.

If you suspect that you have a lesion that just does not heal on a sun-exposed area, please consult with a surgeon for a total body skin check, and treatment if necessary. The future will demand that you protect your skin with sun block blocking UVA and UVB , and covering up more.