The lips are often a neglected area when it comes to sun safety, which is dangerous, because they tend to take as much of a beating from sun exposure as the rest of the face—but have thinner and more sensitive skin. Overexposure to natural or artificial sunlight, heavy alcohol use, and smoking are the three main risk factors for skin cancer in this area. So how is skin cancer removed from the lips? Our Little Rock-area patients are often curious about this, as well as treatments for skin cancers that develop on other sensitive areas such as the eyelids, nose, cheeks, ears, neck, and fingers, where the patient may wish to preserve as much normal, healthy tissue as possible.
Most skin cancers that form on the lips occur on the lower lip. Mohs surgery may be the best way of treating this form of cancer so that as much of the function, sensation, and healthy tissue of the lips as possible is kept intact, without changing the appearance of the face too drastically.
The best treatment method for you depends on the extent and depth of the cancer. During Mohs surgery, all the cancerous cells will be removed, layer by layer, from the treatment area. The process is very methodical and precise.
Detecting skin cancer on the lips early increases the chances of it being successfully cured. Some of the most common symptoms to look out for include a sore on the lips or inside of the mouth that doesn’t heal, a lump on the lips, noticeable thickening, pain, numbness, bleeding, or a red or white patch on the lips.
To minimize the risk of skin cancer, you should always protect your face with a wide-brimmed hat and broad-spectrum sunscreen, wear lip balms that contain SPF, minimize exposure to sun during peak UV hours, reduce alcohol intake, avoid tanning beds, get regular dental check-ups, and quit using tobacco—or don’t start in the first place.
The team at the Little Rock-based Dermatology Group of Arkansas can guide you on Mohs surgery for lip cancer or for treating skin cancer on other areas. Call us at 501-227-8422 or 1-800-225-8422 or submit out a contact form online and schedule a consultation if you’re interested in finding out more about this surgery.