What is the Best Type of Surgeon for Skin Cancer Removal?
Understanding Different Types of Skin Cancer Surgeons
Hearing that you have skin cancer is a frightening diagnosis. Your head is probably spinning with worry. And if you were diagnosed by your regular doctor or a dermatologist, they have probably told you that you need to select a skin cancer surgeon as soon as possible. This leaves many patients a bit confused and wondering how the choose the best skin cancer surgeon.
The good news is that skin cancer is highly treatable with a survival rate of 94 to 95%, especially when detected and removed by a breast cancer surgeon early. The bad news is that many different types of doctors and surgeons perform skin cancer operations, and often one is not as good as the other. So, choosing the best skin cancer surgeon for your needs is a critical decision that must be made as soon as possible!
In this article, top Oakland County board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ali provides some expert insights into the different types of skin cancer surgeons. And he shares why selecting the right skin cancer surgeon is crucial to ensuring the best medical and aesthetic results.
Dermatologists Diagnose Skin Cancer
Let’s start by looking at what a dermatologist does and doesn’t do. A dermatologist is a medical doctors who specializes in skin, hair, and nail conditions. While most dermatologists are not surgeons, they are often the first to diagnose skin cancer. Dermatologists can typically treat and remove small, minor, or superficial skin cancers.
Some dermatologists are experienced in performing procedures such as cryotherapy (freezing) and minor excisions (cutting out) of superficial cancerous growths. However, for more extensive or deeper skin cancers, a dermatologist will typically refer you to a surgeon of some kind.
It is important to remember that you have the right to choose your skin cancer surgeon, and you do not have to go with whatever surgeon that your ‘derm’ recommended. To ensure you select the bet skin cancer surgeon for your needs, don’t just blindly accept the referral without doing your research.
Ensuring you find the best skin cancer surgeon – whether in Oakland County or elsewhere – can make a significant difference in your medical treatment and in your aesthetic results after surgery.
Dermatologic Surgeon for Skin Cancer
While dermatologic surgeons are highly skilled in skin cancer removal, they typically may not have the same level of training in cosmetic reconstruction as plastic surgeons. Many dermatologic surgeons are specialized in a technique called Mohs micrographic surgery, which involves removing the cancer layer by layer and examining each layer under a microscope until no cancer cells remain.
While this procedure is medically effective, it often means that after the dermatologic surgeon’s initial cancer removal, patients require a subsequent, second surgery by a plastic surgeon for cosmetic reconstructive surgery.
However, choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon for simultaneous removal and reconstruction can streamline the process, and remove all of the cancer with precision while ensuring the best aesthetic results without the need for a second surgery.
General Skin Cancer Surgeon
General surgeons are doctors trained to perform a wide range of surgical procedures – but who are not specialized in skin cancer surgery. In Oakland County there are dozens of general surgeons who perform everything from tonsillectomies to appendectomies. And while general surgeons can also remove skin cancers, they typically do not have the specific expertise in skin repair required for the best cosmetic results.
In other words, general surgeons typically focus on the functional aspect of the surgery, ensuring the cancer is removed, but may not have the skill to also ensure the best aesthetic outcome. So, using a general surgeon as your skin cancer surgeon often necessitates a second surgery performed by a plastic surgeon to address aesthetic issues caused by the removal surgery.
So, as you can see, when seeking the best skin cancer surgeon, it is advisable to choose a specialist with extensive experience in both cancer removal and cosmetic reconstruction – like top Oakland County board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ali.
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon for Skin Cancer Removal
Board-certified plastic surgeons, like Dr. Ali in the Oakland County, are the gold standard for skin cancer removal. These surgeons undergo extensive training and certification, specializing in both the removal of cancerous tissue and the reconstruction of the affected area to minimize scarring and maintain an attractive appearance.
Plastic surgeons perform skin operations almost daily, which provides them with a high level of expertise. Top board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ali in Oakland County is trained and certified in handling delicate and complex cases, while delivering beautiful aesthetic results.
Additionally, choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon to be your skin cancer surgeon ensures that both the excision of the cancer and the cosmetic reconstruction are handled with precision and care – while only requiring a single surgery. Combining the cancer removal with a customized aesthetic treatment plan means that scars can be minimized or concealed as much as possible in the original surgery – so a second reconstruction surgery is usually not necessary at all.
Warning: Cosmetic Skin Cancer Surgeons are NOT Board-Certified Plastic Surgeons
Finally, it is important to differentiate between someone who is a “cosmetic surgeon” and a physician like Dr. Ali in Oakland County who is a board-certified plastic surgeon. A cosmetic surgeon may have some training in aesthetic procedures but does not undergo the rigorous training and certification process required for board-certified plastic surgeons. In other words, the term “cosmetic surgeon” can be misleading, as it does not guarantee the same level of expertise as a board-certified plastic surgeon like Dr. Ali.
For skin cancer removal, especially in visible areas like the face, selecting a board-certified plastic surgeon (rather than a cosmetic surgeon) ensures that your skin cancer surgeon has the necessary skills and qualifications to achieve the best medical results and the best aesthetic results.
Choosing the Best Skin Cancer Surgeon | Oakland County
One of the most important decisions following a diagnosis of skin cancer is choosing the right surgeon for skin cancer removal. Selecting the best skin cancer surgeon is a critical step in ensuring both effective medical treatment and optimal aesthetic results.
If you live in the Oakland County area, do your research, and choose the best skin cancer surgeon for your needs, not just the first referral you were given. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Ali is renowned as one of the best skin cancer surgeons in Oakland County. He has the expertise, specialized training, and experience necessary to manage skin cancer with medical precision, compassionate care, and the best aesthetic results. By choosing a board-certified plastic surgeon, like top Oakland County skin cancer surgeon Dr. Ali, patients can benefit from a single, comprehensive surgical procedure that addresses both the medical needs and aesthetic aspects of removing cancerous cells.
If you have received a diagnosis of skin cancer top Oakland County skin cancer surgeon Dr. Ali is here to help you recover and move forward with confidence, peace of mind, and the best medical and aesthetic results possible.
