SKIN CANCER SURGERY SUNSHINE COAST

Any wound to the skin has to make a scar in order to heal but there are things that can be done to reduce their appearance. Here’s a bit more info about scars:

Scarring is the body’s way of healing a wound and making the skin strong enough to function. Many factors affect how a wound scars, important ones being skin tension and mobility. There are techniques in planning and performing procedures that help to minimise tension and mobility, encouraging good scar formation. The doctors at SunLife have experience and training in using them.

Wounds continue to strengthen for months after the initial wound healing. This means that scars can change in this time. There are things you can do at home to encourage good scar formation in this period. Your doctor and nurse will advise you on what methods may be of use for you.

After your biopsy there will be a small wound and a dressing. Your doctor will give you advice on how to care for the wound including whether you need to keep it dry and if any stitches need removing.

We have up-to-date processes allowing your doctor to send routine results promptly via email or text for your convenience. More complex or difficult results will be given in person and a time will be arranged for this. The results from your biopsy will always be communicated to you – you will never be left to assume it’s ok because you haven’t heard anything.

After your excision there will be a wound and a dressing. Your doctor will give you advice on how to care for the wound, including whether you will need to keep it dry, any restrictions on your mobility, and when you need to return for a wound check or dressing removal. Usually this is 1-2 weeks.

Like a biopsy, we have up-to-date processes allowing your doctor to send routine results promptly via email or text for your convenience. More complex or difficult results will be given in person and a time will be arranged for this. The results from your excision will always be communicated to you – you will never be left to assume it’s ok because you haven’t heard anything.

There is always some level of risk with any medical procedure. Thankfully, the risks involved in most routine excisions are low and they can be reduced further with good understanding and clinical processes. Good practices are especially important in higher risk areas. The face for example, as well as needing special skills to minimise scarring, also contains important functional areas and significant nerves. The doctors at SunLife have training and experience to understand and manage these risks, keeping them as low as possible.

For small procedures, like biopsies, your doctor will usually just talk you through the low risks involved. For excisions, a consent form will be completed detailing the risks common to all excisions and adding any risks specific for the individual case. As well as things your doctor can do to reduce risk, there are things you can do to reduce risk – for example, keeping the wound dry. Your doctor and nurse will advise you on how to care for your wound and they will be there for you if any problems do arise.

Yes, they usually can be. Some non-cancerous lesions are problematic, they can stick out, get infected, catch, rub and be bothersome. Your doctor will discuss with you what's involved with removing it. 

The costs of procedures vary due to the wide range of time, complexity and skill required. The costs include all routine aftercare, such as provision of results, dressings and suture removal. They also include the management of any complications should they occur.

Your doctor will inform you of the costs at the time of planning your procedure. Typically, a small biopsy done at the time of a consult may have a gap charge of $30. A medium size excision may be $170. A large or complex flap or graft may reach $500. Please ask if you are unclear or have any questions.

Note that the above costs are the gap charges that you will be out of pocket after the Medicare rebate. The Medicare system is complex - rebates vary according to the type of procedure and the type, site and size of lesion.