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Plastic surgeons treat many types of
skin lesions which may be benign but occasionally are malignant. |
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The most common form of skin malignancy
is basal cell carcinoma, which has an excellent prognosis if treated
early by complete removal. |
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A more dangerous skin malignancy is melanoma,
which is becoming more common. Melanoma is directly related to prolonged
sun exposure. |
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Most often, skin lesions are removed
within a border of normal tissue. The complete removal is confirmed
by frozen section examination prior to careful closure. |
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The closure is usually in the same direction
as the facial wrinkle lines, which helps the final scar to be more
easily hidden. Careful closure with fine suture can make the final
scar barely noticeable. |
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More complicated reconstructions require
closure by rearranging adjacent tissue. In this example, a skin cancer
of the nose has been removed and tissue from the cheek is moved to
cover the open area on the side of the nose. |
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The skin is closed, with the final scar
located in one of the facial lines. When final healing is complete,
there can be very minimal evidence of prior surgery. |
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