Diagnosis and Treatment in the Downtown Minneapolis Area for the Most Common Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer

Skin cancer is a disease that causes the skin cells to mutate and grow at an abnormal, uncontrollable rate. There are several different types of this cancer, including basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common cancer in the United States. Our dermatologists at Zel Skin & Laser Specialists provide treatment for basal cell carcinoma at our Downtown Minneapolis office.

If you receive a basal cell carcinoma diagnosis, you are not alone. Millions of people are diagnosed with the disease every year. BCC usually appears where the body is exposed to the sun, most commonly on the face—and especially on the nose. It also often appears on the head, neck, or the backs of hands, but can develop anywhere on the body. Though basal cell carcinoma grows slowly, early treatment is essential because it can expand and penetrate deeply to destroy tissue and even bone beneath. BCC can sometimes become aggressive and life-threatening when untreated, but when found early, it can almost always be cured.

Zel Skin and Laser Specialists

If you have questions about treatment for basal cell carcinoma in Downtown Minneapolis or would like to request a consultation with the dermatologists at Zel Skin & Laser Specialists, call (952) 473-1286 or submit a contact form.

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Causes and Risk Factors for Basal Cell Carcinoma

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or artificial sources such as tanning beds is the primary cause of BCC. This is because UV rays cause DNA damage in the basal cells found in the lower part of the epidermis.

The risk of developing skin cancer increases significantly after age 50. Those with fair or freckled skin, blond or red hair, or blue, green, or hazel eyes are more prone to developing basal cell carcinoma. People with blood relatives affected by basal cell carcinoma are also more at risk, as are those who have taken immunosuppressant drugs to treat diseases such as arthritis, HIV, and lymphoma, or who have been treated with radiation therapy.

What Are the Symptoms of Basal Cell Carcinoma?

Basal cell carcinoma doesn’t look the same on every patient. Examine your skin all over your body and see a dermatologist if you observe any of the following signs:

  • Elevated, bump-like growths that are often pink, cream, or the color of the surrounding skin, but may be brown or black, or with areas of brown or black that have small, visible blood vessels. These growths may bleed and ooze easily or scab over.
  • An eczema-like patch that is shiny pink or red.
  • A lesion that is black, blue, or brown, possibly with dark spots, with a raised, surrounding, skin-colored border.
  • A scar-like growth the color of surrounding skin or pale white to yellow with blurred edges and a waxy feel.
  • Open sores or acne-like lesions that won’t heal and that bleed or ooze easily, itch, are crusty with a sunken center, and have blood vessels inside or surrounding the area.

What Are the Treatments for Basal Cell Carcinoma?

Your dermatologist will take a skin biopsy by removing all or part of the growth in question, then examine it under a microscope or send it to a laboratory for further analysis.

Basal cell carcinoma treatment methods include:

  • Curettage and electrodessication: The growth is scraped away, and an electric needle is used to kill cancer cells and control bleeding. The affected area is numbed beforehand.
  • Excision: The affected area is numbed and the basal cell carcinoma and some healthy skin around it is cut away.
  • Freezing: Liquid nitrogen is used to freeze and kill cancer cells.
  • Medicated creams: Patients apply medicated cream at home.
  • Mohs surgery: This specialized surgery has the highest cure rate for difficult-to-treat basal cell cancers, combining precision surgical excision with minute scrutinization of tissue, layer by layer.
  • Photodynamic therapy (PDT): A photosensitizer cream is followed by an incubation time and application of blue light that kills the cancer cells.
  • Radiation: Radiation therapy is used to kill cancer cells that cannot be cut out. Around 15 to 30 radiation treatments may be needed.

Why Choose Zel Skin for Basal Cell Carcinoma Treatment?

Your skin is too important to leave to chance. Zel Skin & Laser Specialists has participated in 100 clinical studies and seen more than 30,000 patients. Unlike many skin care clinics, we conduct our own internal research to ensure the basal cell carcinoma treatments we provide have been scientifically proven to improve the health of your skin.

We also offer mole checks and removal, actinic keratoses treatments to address lesions considered to be “pre-cancer,” and treatment for two other forms of skin cancer: squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.

Zel Skin and Laser Specialists

Learn more about symptoms and risk factors of basal cell carcinoma in Minneapolis from our Zel Skin & Laser Specialists team. Call us at (952) 473-1286 or submit your information online.

*Results may vary per patient. Services vary by location.