Facial Skin Reconstruction Treatments

Facial skin reconstruction can help patients restore their appearances after removal of cancerous areas of skin and accomplishing this effectively requires an experienced facial surgeon with an understanding of the affected area from both a medical and cosmetic perspective. Dr. David J. Congdon, a Mayo Clinic-trained, double board-certified facial plastic specialist, is an expert in skin cancer growth removal and facial skin reconstruction procedures and is your clear choice for restoring a natural-looking appearance to your affected area. Serving patients throughout the Cedar Valley, we provide a local, convenient and professional option for facial skin reconstruction services following skin cancer treatment. Keep reading to learn more about Dr. Congdon’s approach to facial skin reconstruction treatments.

Skin Cancer Growth Removal

Skin cancer is the number one form of cancer in the United States, affecting over one million people every year. It is also the easiest cancer to prevent and is highly treatable when detected early. The most common types of skin cancer are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. Skin cancers on the head and neck can be surgically treated by a facial plastic surgeon with generally minimal deformity using incisions placed in naturally occurring facial creases. In some instances, when the skin cancer covers a larger or more sensitive area, the level of growth removal is more extensive, which in turn leaves deformities and functional issues resulting from the surgery. This is particularly true for non-melanoma basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, 97% of which often occur in noticeable areas of the body such as the face. Dr. Congdon is an experienced skin cancer growth removal specialist who regularly performs these procedures in outpatient (as well as hospital) settings and who also has significant facial plastic surgical experience, making him well-equipped to address any post-surgical facial reconstructive issues his patients may encounter.

Facial Skin Reconstruction

Once the patient has fully healed from skin growth removal surgery, a patient can undergo a facial skin cancer reconstruction on the affected area. Generally, the treatment begins with using healthy tissue from another part of your body to repair the damaged area by attaching this borrowed skin and cartilage through grafting. The corrective surgery itself varies with the size of the area to be addressed and the difficulty of this restoration, as some reconstructions take up to three hours or more. It is also important to ensure appropriate blood flow to the repaired area, as the transplanted tissue can facilitate blood supply or this may be surgically achieved. The post-surgical area will be sutured for about a week, although the patient can typically resume regular activities immediately following the reconstruction.

Facial skin reconstruction surgeries are sensitive and often intricate procedures that require the expertise of a facial plastic surgeon such as Dr. David J. Congdon of Cedar Valley ASCENT. We understand the importance of reclaiming a natural, healthy appearance after the removal of a cancerous growth and our knowledgeable, highly trained team of skin cancer specialists are dedicated to providing a restored, comfortable appearance after your surgery.