When you think about organs in the human body, you may conjure up images of the more notable ones, such as your heart, lungs, kidneys, or liver. However, your body’s largest organ is actually your skin.
Unfortunately, many people will get skin cancer over the course of their lives. In fact, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. Twenty percent of Americans will get skin cancer by age 70. Nearly 10,000 Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer every day, and unfortunately, at least two people die every hour from skin cancer.
The good news is that when detected and treated early, the five-year survival rate is 99% for melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer. You may have had friends or family members who have been treated for skin cancer by a variety of medical professionals, such as general surgeons, plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and surgical oncologists. But, did you know that ophthalmologists also treat skin cancer?
The team of ophthalmologists at Tayani Institute, with 10 state-of-the-art locations throughout Southern California, are experts at treating skin cancer around the eyes.
Treating delicate areas around the eyes
Although skin cancer can develop anywhere on the body, areas that are particularly susceptible to sun exposure are the most common regions where skin cancer develops, such as the scalp, face, ears, neck, chest, and arms.
Ophthalmologists are expertly trained and well-versed in treating problems in and around the eyes, making them particularly well-suited for treating cancer in the delicate skin around the eyes and eyelids.
Mohs surgery is a precise procedure
Mohs surgery is the go-to procedure for carefully removing skin cancer on the face. One of the benefits of this treatment is that it removes the cancer while at the same time leaving as much healthy tissue behind as possible. This is possible because only one layer of skin is taken at a time. Each time a layer is removed, it’s tested right away to see if it contains cancer cells. The process continues until no cancer cells are detected.
This approach allows more healthy tissue to remain, and because the approach is so targeted, there’s less scarring than if large sections were cut out. Furthermore, the procedure is performed in one visit.
If you have areas around your eyes that you’re concerned about, or you need treatment for skin cancer, book an appointment online or over the phone with Tayani Institute today.