Skin cancer often occurs on the scalp because the scalp is exposed to a lot of sunlight.
As a preventive measure, and if you have been diagnosed with scalp cancer, it is recommended to wear a sun hat, use sunscreen to avoid sunburn and seek shade between 12-15. It is also recommended not to use a solarium.
If you suspect skin cancer on the scalp, seek medical attention immediately. Symptoms can include small sores that won’t heal and red, scaly lesions that won’t go away.
If you’ve been diagnosed with skin cancer on the scalp and it spreads over a large area, there’s also a risk of losing hair growth where the skin cancer has been. However, Mohs surgery is gentle and tissue-sparing, so choosing this type of treatment will result in a more attractive cosmetic outcome. Because Mohs surgery is tissue-sparing, you want to preserve as much hair growth as possible.
There are several types of scalp skin cancer treatments. These include curettage and creams used for low-risk tumors, as well as surgical procedures such as Mohs surgery. Mohs surgery provides the greatest certainty that the tumor has been removed in healthy tissue and thus offers the lowest risk of recurrence and wounds/scars.
Mohs surgery is the safest method for removing skin cancer on the scalp. The surgery is always performed under local anesthesia. The visible skin cancer and a small 1-2 mm strip of surrounding healthy tissue are removed. Mohs surgery provides a much more attractive cosmetic result than standard surgery because up to 40% less tissue is removed, allowing you to preserve as much hair growth as possible. As the only private clinic in Denmark, the Skin Cancer Clinic can perform Mohs surgery.
Skin cancer treatment usually leads to a cure, but if you’ve had skin cancer on your scalp, you’re at a higher risk of developing skin cancer again.
