Treating and Restoring Your Skin

Neck or face melanomas are a type of skin cancer that is seemingly becoming more and more prominent around the world today. However, it is entirely possible to treat the condition. Even though surgery is often used to treat the cancer, it can also help to restore your skin to its original appearance before the melanoma.

Symptoms

Melanoma tends to occur whenever the melanocytes go through a type of change that allows them to produce melanin. When melanin is produced, it causes a darker appearance on the skin. If you already had moles, they can end up turning into a melanoma. The condition can also cause new moles to develop on the skin. To check for the symptoms of a melanoma, look for the following warning signs:

-Asymmetry - Check for any areas that are asymmetrical in nature.

-Borders - Look for any irregular edges around your growth.

-Color - See if there is a mixture of colors in the growth, such as black, brown, tan, blue, red or white.

-Diameter - Look for an abnormal area that is about the size of a pencil eraser, although some have been even smaller than that.

-Evolution - Watch to see if the mole is continuing to evolve or change.

People Who Are Prone to Melanomas

Even though aging might increase the chance of you getting a melanoma, younger individuals can also be affected. Those with fair skin, blue or green eyes and red or blonde hair are at the greatest risk. Where you live also plays a role in whether you end up with the condition or not. If you spend a lot of time outside, that will increase your risk as well. Tanning booths, a family history of the disease and a weak immune system also increase your risk.

Treating Melanomas

A biopsy will help determine whether you have a melanoma or not. Additional testing will help determine if cancer has spread into the area or not. Radiation, chemotherapy and various other treatments can help combat cancer that has spread. Surgery might be needed to remove the melanoma from your skin.

The surgery to remove the melanoma also requires removing the surrounding tissue. Depending on how deep the melanoma is, the amount of skin that has to be removed is going to vary. Once the growth has been removed, cosmetic surgery can be used to help correct the skin and restore it to its natural state.