Healthy Living: Your Experts
Dermatology
Bluegrass Dermatology
4616 Village Square Drive
Paducah, KY 42001
270-443-7546
1-866-373-7546
and
105 Nolan Avenue
Fulton, KY 42041
Paducah, KY 42001
270-443-7546
1-866-373-7546
and
105 Nolan Avenue
Fulton, KY 42041
Hours of Operation
- Monday8:00am - 3:30pm
- Tuesday7:50am - 3:30pm
- Wednesday7:50am - 3:30pm
- Thursday7:30am - 3:30pm
- Friday7:50am - 12:00pm
Bluegrass Dermatology provides the highest standard of quality care and patient education while utilizing the most recent medical and surgical advances in a caring and compassionate environment. We specialize in providing comprehensive Dermatologic care for patients of all ages.
Dr. Wilson specializes in Mohs Micro Graphic Surgery (a precise technique to remove skin cancers)
OVERVIEW of this surgery:
Mohs micrographic surgery is a specialized surgical procedure used to treat skin cancers, typically of the head and neck. Recurrent or more advanced tumors of the rest of the body are sometimes treated with Mohs surgery as well. The technique offers two main advantages over traditional skin cancer removal treatments:
• The best cure rate. Mohs surgery for primary basal cell carcinoma, for example, has a 99% cure rate.
• Tissue sparing: Because Mohs surgery is a tissue sparing surgery, where only the skin with tumor in it is removed, the patient is left with the smallest defect possible. Smaller defects mean smaller scars in the end, after the defect is closed. In traditional excisions, the edges are not checked in "real-time" so safety margins are necessary. This often leads to larger defects and eventually larger scars. On the face, even a couple of millimeters difference in a scar length can make a big cosmetic difference.
Mohs surgery involves a same-day procedure where an initial "layer" is taken (the clinical tumor) and examined under the microscope for any involvement of the edges while the patient waits. The tissue is mapped in such a way so that if there is tumor at any one edge, the surgeon knows exactly which edge this is and can go back to take another small piece of skin from this edge only (instead of another whole circle around the defect, leaving a larger defect than necessary).
WHAT TYPES OF CANCER ARE TREATED WITH MOHS SURGERY?
The two most common skin cancers treated with Mohs surgery are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma . The cure rates with Mohs surgery are up to 99% for primary cancers and 95% for recurrent cancers. Other types of skin cancers such as sebaceous carcinoma, atypical fibroxanthoma, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans and others can also be treated with Mohs surgery.
Melanoma is usually treated with wide local excision. There are certain melanomas located on the head and neck that can be treated with Mohs surgery. The technique is modified slightly from the traditional Mohs surgery and may require a delay in the reconstruction.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the best SPF for sunscreen?
- The AAD recommends at least a 30 of broad spectrum sunscreen.
- Do most dermatologic procedures take place in an office setting?
- Yes, there is a rare patient that requires more than local anesthesia which will require a referral for general anesthesia. We remove skin cancer, moles and cysts comfortably in an office setting which saves the patient time and a lot of money.
- Do we accept all insurances?
- We accept all insurances including Medicare. We do not accept Medicaid at the present time.
- Is the sun the only cause of skin cancer?
- No. Genetic risks as well as exposure to radiation as well as a hose of other things increase one's risk of skin cancer.