Melanoma
Prescott ‑ Prescott Valley ‑ Cottonwood ‑ Scottsdale
Melanoma is a skin cancer that can spread and be life threatening. It is diagnosed by shave or punch biopsy but signs such as rapid growth, an irregular border, variable pigmentation, or bleeding may occur. The “red, white, & blue” sign is also a hallmark of melanoma.
Treatment of melanoma is based on the thickness of the lesion and whether or not it has invaded the skin or has remained superficial (in situ). Invasive melanoma requires wider excision and sometimes application of a skin graft.
Early diagnosis is most important for treatment of melanoma and offers the best chance for disease free survival. Generally, Mohs surgery is not used with Melanoma. Self-examinations at home using the ABCDE criteria are useful, see https://www.skincancer.org/early-detection/self-exams/ for how-to instructions.
We also provide a variety of in-office cosmetic and laser procedures.