How postoperative wounds are managed

Once it has been determined that your skin cancer has been completely removed, we will decide how best to manage your wound. In some instances, the wound should be allowed to heal by itself – this is called “healing by granulation.” In other cases, the wound needs to be repaired with stitches, or a skin graft or flap. The decision will depend on the size and location of your wounds. If a repair is needed, this usually can be done the same day, or in some cases, the next day by a plastic surgeon.

If your wound is left to heal by itself, you will need daily bandage changes for three to six weeks. You will be given written instructions that describe how to change your bandages.