Hearing that a spot needs treatment can trigger a rush of questions. Most people worry about pain, scarring, time off work, and what the lab report will show.

The process is usually simpler than it sounds. In Australia, most procedures are done under local anaesthetic, you go home the same day, and discomfort is usually manageable.

Knowing the usual steps ahead of time makes the whole experience feel far less daunting.

What the procedure aims to do

The goal is to fully remove the lesion while preserving as much healthy skin and function as possible.

Your doctor wants clear edges, called margins, on the lab report, a secure repair, and the best practical cosmetic result.

The three main types are basal cell carcinoma, or BCC, squamous cell carcinoma, or SCC, and melanoma. Each behaves differently, so the method depends on the type, size, body site, and whether it has been treated before. More than two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime.

For low-risk BCC, standard excision cures about 96% of cases. Mohs micrographic surgery, a staged technique that checks tissue under the microscope during the visit, has cure rates above 95% and is performed by accredited Mohs specialists in Australia.

Before your appointment: Prepare smart

A little planning makes the day smoother and lowers the chance of avoidable problems.

• List your medicines: Tell your doctor about every medicine you take, including blood thinners, supplements, diabetes tablets, and GLP-1 medicines used for diabetes or weight loss. Do not stop blood thinners unless the prescribing doctor tells you to.
• Plan your trip: Arrange a lift if sedation is planned. Wear loose clothing that will not rub on the dressing, and remove makeup or sunscreen from the treatment area before you arrive.
• Bring key questions: Ask what margin is planned, how the wound will be closed, how long you should take it easy, when dressings need changing, and who to call after hours if you are worried.
• Take a reference photo: A quick photo before the procedure can help you track healing later. Keep protecting the surrounding skin with sunscreen and clothing before and after treatment.

On the day: What happens

Most visits follow a simple pattern, check-in, numbing, removal, closure, and home instructions.

• Check-in and site marking: Staff confirm your identity and mark the exact site with a skin pen. A safety checklist is completed before the procedure starts.
• Numbing the area: The local anaesthetic stings for a few seconds, then the area goes numb. A standard excision usually takes 20–60 minutes, depending on size and how the wound is closed.
• Stages in Mohs surgery: With Mohs, tissue is removed and checked in stages while you wait. For a complex lesion on the face, plan for a half-day visit.
• Closure and home care: Your surgeon may close the wound in a straight line, with a nearby skin flap, or with a skin graft. You should leave with clear written instructions, dressing supplies, follow-up bookings, and activity limits.

Aftercare and recovery: Your first two weeks

The first fortnight is mostly about protecting the wound, spotting warning signs, and waiting for results.

• First 48 hours: Keep the dressing dry for as long as your clinician advises. Elevate the area if asked, and use the pain relief they recommend. A small amount of ooze is common.
• Days 3–7: Change dressings only if your clinician has told you how and when. Avoid stretching the wound, heavy lifting, and hard exercise. Call the clinic if redness, heat, swelling, pus, fever, or pain is getting worse.
• When stitches come out: Face sutures often come out at 5–7 days. Trunk and limb sutures usually stay in for 10–14 days, and over joints they may stay longer. Tape support after removal can help in high-tension areas.
• When results come back: Results commonly come back around the stitch-removal visit, often in about a week. If the margins are not clear, your team may suggest re-excision, Mohs, or another treatment.

Beyond two weeks: Scars and daily life

Healing keeps going long after the skin has closed over.

Build activity back up gradually, and wait for medical clearance before heavy lifting or high-impact exercise. Once the wound has closed and scabs have fallen off, moisturiser, gentle massage, and silicone gel or sheets may help selected scars.

It is normal for a scar to look redder or thicker at 6–8 weeks before it slowly flattens and fades. Full scar maturation can take 12–24 months. Call your clinic if the wound opens, starts bleeding, becomes suddenly swollen, or you develop spreading redness, fever, or nearby numbness.

How doctors usually choose a method

The right option depends on the cancer type, the body site, and how much healthy tissue needs to be preserved.

• Standard excision: This is used for many low-risk BCCs and SCCs on the trunk and limbs. It is quick, effective, and the lab checks whether the margins are clear.
• Mohs surgery: This is preferred for the nose, eyelids, lips, ears, and other high-visibility sites, or for recurrent and high-risk tumours where tissue-sparing matters most.
• Non-surgical treatments: Surface-level BCC or very early SCC, called SCC in situ, may be treated with prescription creams such as imiquimod, cryotherapy, or photodynamic therapy if a doctor confirms they are suitable.
• Radiotherapy: This may be considered if surgery is not suitable, if a patient declines it, or as an added treatment after excision in selected cases.
• Melanoma care: Further surgery for melanoma is planned around tumour thickness, called Breslow depth, and usually uses a 1–2 cm margin. A sentinel lymph node biopsy, which checks the first draining lymph node, may be discussed for melanomas thicker than 1.0 mm, or from 0.8 mm with high-risk features. In 2025, an estimated 17,443 new melanoma cases will be diagnosed in Australia.

Costs and rebates in Australia

Medicare can help, but private treatment may still involve out-of-pocket costs.

Fees vary with the site, the size of the lesion, and how the wound is repaired. Pathology, dressings, Mohs surgery, and specialist referrals can all affect the total.

• Public hospital treatment generally has no out-of-pocket cost for eligible patients.
• Ask for item numbers and a written estimate before the procedure.
• Check whether pathology is billed separately.
• For advanced BCC, PBS subsidies are available for hedgehog pathway inhibitors such as sonidegib and vismodegib.

How to pick a clinician you trust

Experience with your exact lesion type and body site matters more than a polished website.

Ask how often they treat similar cases, who will do the closure, what scar length is likely, how results are communicated, and what support is available after hours.

Check qualifications as well. FRACGP or FACD credentials are useful markers, and Mohs should be performed by accredited Mohs surgeons in Australia. For melanoma, services with strong multidisciplinary links add another layer of safety.

Ready to book local care?

Local access can make assessment, treatment, and follow-up much easier.

If you live in Greater Western Sydney, getting assessed, treated, and reviewed close to home can make the whole process easier, especially when you want same-day appointments, on-site procedures, and follow-up in one familiar clinic rather than travelling between providers. To discuss the best approach for your case, you can book skin cancer removal.

FAQs

Most final questions come down to pain, timing, results, and scarring.

• Will the procedure hurt? Most people feel a brief sting from the local anaesthetic, then pressure rather than pain. Simple pain relief afterward is usually enough.
• How soon can I shower, drive, and exercise? You can often shower after the first dressing change if your clinician says it is safe. Driving is usually fine once you can control the vehicle safely, but strenuous exercise should wait.
• What happens if the lab says the margins are not clear? Your doctor will explain the next step, which may be more surgery, Mohs, or another treatment. It does not mean care has failed, it means more tissue needs to be treated.
• How noticeable will the scar be? Every procedure leaves a scar, but careful technique, good wound care, and strict sun protection can help it fade well. Some people also benefit from silicone products or later scar treatments.

What to remember

Knowing the usual timeline and warning signs takes much of the fear out of the process.

Bring your questions, follow the written aftercare closely, and turn up for your review even if the wound looks fine.

After treatment for basal cell or squamous cell cancers, follow-up for at least 5 years is commonly advised, and anyone with a past diagnosis should have at least a yearly full-skin examination. Early action and regular checks give you the best chance of catching new problems quickly.

Tim Williamson, a psychology graduate from the University of Hertfordshire, has a keen interest in the fields of mental health, wellness, and lifestyle.