Facing facial surgery and neck surgery: Concerned about disfigurement

@lenoret Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect!

Facing surgery is never fun, is it? Have your doctors spoken to you about reconstruction procedures? When my sister had her surgery, they immediately sent her to a plastic surgeon for reconstruction. There is usually much consideration given based on location, for the type of closure and subsequent actions.
Ginger

Thanks, Ginger. A plastic surgeon will participate with the oncology surgeon. I may still need some reconstruction. I'm uneasy, but hoping for the best. Is your sister happy with her results?
Lenore

I had Moes on my nose and a number of basil cancers cut out over the decades. If you have the plastic dr consult first, they can sway some worry by saying what they can do. The better you look after, looks good on them. Like my plastics dr for my breast surgery, facial plastic surgeons have that focus. I hope you feel good about this dr. That is a good start, plus if your skin dr trusts them, that is good. My sister had the right side of her face by her eye cut out with cancer. Her plastics dr really made her look nearly the same. That was 5 years ago.

I had Mohs surgery on my temple and the scar is undetectable.

@lenoret: I had a wide local excision with reconstruction on my face in 2020. I’d consulted with a plastic surgeon but he deferred to an experienced ENT who completed the procedure with a sentinel node biopsy. Due to positive margins, the incision needed to be reopened and completed by a slow Mohs the following month. The resulting scar was initially quite large and noticeable but with subsequent two laser treatments and the ensuing years it’s barely noticeable. It sounds like you’re in very capable hands. Follow your provider’s post-op advice and give yourself time for recovery/healing.

Mark your calendar for summers end to get back to Ginger and me to let us know the results. And even sooner after the procedure to fill us in on how the procedure went. When is it scheduled?

I had lymph nodes removed in neck for childhood cancer (1963). Still have a scar there-no keloid but definitely visible. MOHS surgery scars on face much more noticeable. My ENT told me to wait at least a few years before getting plastic surgery done on nose.

@grammato3 May 5th

@marem60 Sorry to hear this. It's a challenging situation for sure.

I had basal cell carcinoma on the end of my nose. I asked to have a plastic surgeon in on consults. I ended up with a "flap" reconstruction and about 48 tiny tiny stitches that all healed beautifully thanks to the plastic surgeon.

I recommend you make sure you have a good facial/neck reconstruction plastic surgeon in on the surgery and not just a "general surgeon".

Reconstructive plastic surgeons are usually obsessive compulsive types and you will want that!

@lenoret Yes, she is happy with the results.