Skin cancer refers to the abnormality in the skin cells, that results in the uncontrolled growth of the cells. The reason for skin cancer is the UV radiations from the sun or from any other source. The skin cells, as a result of mutation induced by DNA damage, divide rapidly and uncontrollably causing formation of facial tumors or masses or neoplasms. In the skin, cancer can occur in three kinds of cells: squamous cells (found in skin inner lining below the outer covering), basal cells (beneath the squamous cells) and melanocytes (in the lower part of the epidermis).

For skin cancer surgery or skin tumor surgery, different surgical treatments are available: excision biopsy surgery, Mohs micrographic surgery, and Curettage and electrodesiccation. These surgeries are applicable in the case of basal cell cancer, sebaceous gland carcinoma, malignant melanoma eyelid or squamous cell cancer.

For excision biopsy surgery, a local anesthetic such as lidocane is applied to the area of the skin containing the skin mass or skin cancer, to create numbness. Then, using surgical knife, incision is made into the skin around cancer containing region and the region is subsequently excised. To repair the wound, the surrounding skin is stitched. This surgery has a high cure rate, yet further treatment may be required.

Curettage and electrodesiccation entails using a curette- a surgical instrument- to scrape the tumor followed by using an electric needle to cauterize the remaining tumor cells. The procedure is repeated twice or thrice in the same visit and no stitches are required for healing to occur.

Mohs micrographic surgery ensures maximum removal of cancer cells, while preserving the neighboring normal cells. It involves layer by layer removal of the skin parts corresponding to cancer and subsequent examination of the layer under microscope for identification of cancerous cells, until cancer cells can no longer can be detected. This ensures margin clearance of the cancer cells – i.e. that the wound margins are free of any residual cancer cells. It has the highest cure rate.