Basal Cell Carcinoma

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a type skin cancer that affects one in five Americans.  A BCC can have many appearances: a red patch or irritated area: a smooth; shiny and waxy looking bump; a white or yellow scar-like area; a smooth reddish growth; or an open sore that won’t heal, bleeds or oozes.   The treatment for BCC depends on the type and location of the lesion.  For most BCC the treatment would be an excision or Mohs surgery.  An excision is a procedure where the BCC is cut out and then stitched up.  Mohs surgery is a specialized microscopically controlled surgical technique that removed the entire tumor and only the tumor; it also has the highest cure rate.  Early detection of BCC makes treatment easier, so learn the signs of skin cancer and check your own skin once each month. The best way to avoid skin cancers is to protect the skin from further sum damage.