Scheduled for a Vermilionectomy for premalignant lip tissue

Hello Colleen -
Thank you for your response.
You ask, is the premalignant tissue a precursor to squamous cell carcinoma?
Yes. The dermatologist said the actinic keratosis was "very advanced" and could spread to the mouth in the form of squamous cell carcinoma, hence his recommendation for me to have a vermillionectomy.

I meant to tag @rebeccac @donnaohm who have experience with lip cancer and may have experiences to share about vermilionectomy, a procedure where all or part of the visible lower 'red' lip will be removed.

Welcome, @mizlynnie. From what I have read, vermilionectomy is effective for treatment of actinic cheilitis (AC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lower lip. Wounds produced by cryosurgery and laser therapy heal within a period of 7–14 days, while it takes two to four months for those caused by vermilionectomy. After the healing process, many patients experience good cosmetic results." Read more here: https://www.news-medical.net/health/Actinic-Cheilitis-Prognosis-and-Mouth-Cancer.aspx

I added your question to the Head & Neck Cancer group as well in the hopes that other members may have personal experiences to share. Lynn, do you know is the premalignant tissue is a pre-cursor to squamous cell carcinoma? I'm glad this was found in the pre-cancerous stage.