Taking care after skin cancer surgery
“Scars are proof we can survive”
This very line by Megan Hart proves and encourages us to consider our scars as a badge of honor and bravery. Different dermatologists all around the world tell us how to take care and when required, know how to fix some old scars.
There is a saying that behind every scar is an untold story of survival. Be it the marks of your bruised knee or chickenpox, they so portray a story, a story of your life- happy and sad moments. Something you can look back on and reminisce about.
Diagnosed with cancer? That to skin cancer! Well, don't wait or hesitate for treatment. It is better than staying undiagnosed and letting it grow. If cured at the initial stages you may not even have a scar. But if you require serious surgery, you might get a scar post-surgery, but as said earlier every scar has a story and you should not be scared to express it and it will probably just add to your bundle of you and memories.
Anyway when asked skin cancer foundation member physicians what are scars? They say it was our skin’s way of knitting after it has been hurt. It is a complex process but you should cherish and live it.
A Dermatologic surgeon Mary Margaret Kober, MD who practices in Santa Rosa, California says- “whenever there is an injury or bruise the first thing that happens is that broad cells called platelets gather together and form a clot to stop bleeding and seal the wound.
Does Skin Cancer need Surgery?
Well, not always. Studies have proven that it is not necessary to always go for surgery, but you anyway have to if your doctor recommends it.
Skin cancer is further divided into Basal Cell Carcinoma and Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Treatment may however depend on the location and size of cancer that is detected.
Worries about the scars from Skin Cancer?
According to DR Kober whenever patients requiring skin surgery come up with different notions like- “I don’t care about the scar, I don’t have a modeling career”
Whereas surgeons do their best to hide scars in the normal folds of the skin. Or in smile lines.
Dr. Khorasani suggests that a patient should know that the scar may sometimes end up longer.
What are the different causes of scars of skin Cancer?
Well, What I truly believe is that we are much more than our scars. Therefore everybody should live by that.
Generally, a scar or a wound is seen as an injury or physical injury that damages the injured area. However, the wounds may affect in different ways- they may be beneath or under the skin also affect only the skin is minimal. There are different types of wounds and they are as follows and you can watch out for them:
- Incision
- Laceration from a sharp object
- Bruise
- Fracture’
- Tear
Sometimes the injury may also be on a bone or tendon or organ or even under the skin. It is therefore advisable that proper care be taken and protect it from infection so that it heals quickly.
When it comes to scars if they form a wound the chances of skin healing are higher. The skin heals naturally as the natural part of the body’s healing process mends damage from the bruised or cut part. But it is observed that when new tissues are formed around the skin it has a different texture and also a very different feel around it.
Also, it is believed that a scar is formed when the body heals some injury. You only get a scar when the wound gets deeper enough into the layers called the dermis.
There are also situations when one injurer the deeper into the layers of the skin, cells, and make collagen, also it is observed that it is less flexible and thicker compared to the other portion of the skin.
According to a lot of research and studies were done on scars and the cases, it was reported that they develop or appear in all types of shape and size, some of them are painful and large while some may barely be visible.
Studies gave also shown that people from Africa and Asia or people who have a dark complexion, also red-haired individuals develop Keloid Scars.
Depending on the different factors like type, location and size they may look bad and also sometimes difficult to move. However, Keloids are known to be the raised scar that grows beyond the injured area.
Generally, not all wounds or scars require treatment as they go away, vanish or fade out with time. But it is advisable that if a scar is causing pain or bothering you in any way treatment and medication can be of great help.
Good Healers
Generally, younger people have a greater supply of blood and tend to heal sooner but there have been cases and studies have proven that even the elderly patients have been able to cure their scar.
Wounds Post Skin Cancer Surgery
Here are some ways in which you can take care of your wound post Skin Cancer Surgery:
- Remove the dressing at equal intervals of time.
- Never soak a fresh wound but you can wash it clean water.
- Do not rub the wound.
- Pat it carefully.
- Antibiotic ointment and the medication prescribed by your doctor can help.
Most importantly, follow all the instructions and guidelines given to you by your doctor.
Stats regarding Skin Cancer and Scars
The reported incidents of skin cancer in India are less than one percent of all cancers. According to the study, the incidence of skin cancer is found to be a three-point one-eight percent of all the cancer patients registered over a period of one year at different centers. NMSC is known to be uncommon in Asians. Among dark skin individuals, SSC is commoner than BBC.
Various studies from India reported SCC to be the most prevalent skin Malignancy. A study from the Malwa region of Punjab has shown BBC as the commonest skin Maligancy. According to a study conducted by JCDR (Journal Of Clinical and Diagnostic Research), it was noted that there was a change in trend in the histological variety of tumors, BBC being the commonest type of skin malignancy.
Indians suffer from almost all types of cancer including lungs, breast, rectum, skin, liver, prostate, stomach, cervix, esophagus, blood, bladder, mouth cancer, and more. With more than 30 percent, Indians in the age group of 45 to 64 years dying due to cancer it has indeed become important to go through these figures, find out the cause, and evolve measures to stop it.
Skin Cancer Statistics in India :
- India is leading with the third-highest number of cancers among other countries worldwide after the USA and China in Women.
- In India, the estimated number of 0.7 million cancer cases among Women is registered.
- According to The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) until 2020 there will be around 17.3 Lakh new Cancer cases.
- The most prominent cases would be breast, cervix, and lung cancers.
- As per the National Cancer Registry Programme conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) records estimated cases of cancer are 3.6 Million by the year 2016.
- More than 40% of cancer cases like lung cancer, mouth cancer in India are preventable.
- The major cause of mouth cancer in India is the consumption of tobacco. States like UP and Bihar is highest in tobacco chewing.
- By the year 2030, Deaths from cancer around the globe are projected to continue to rise to over 13.1 million.
- Around 1 to 1.4 million cases are unregistered, or undiagnosed.
- On an average of 1,300 Indians are succumbing to various types of cancer.