Surgical Treatments

If your skin cancer or lesion needs to be surgically removed, you can feel extremely comfortable and confident in the knowledge, experience, training, and surgical technique of Joseph F. Greco, M.D., a double board-certified dermatologist and Mohs micrographic surgeon in Sarasota.

Dr. Greco: Your Surgical Excision Specialist

Needing a surgical treatment for your lesion — whether it’s cancerous or not — can cause a great amount of anxiety. You may be concerned that skin cancer may spread, or you may feel that you don’t have a full grasp on your dermatologic care. We understand that you want a trusted and experienced doctor who has devoted their career to focusing on the field of skin cancer treatment and suspicious lesions. You want an expert with unparalleled surgical experience to put a comprehensive treatment plan in place. And finally, you want a physician who will listen to you and deliver extra effort in their care. This is Dr. Joseph F. Greco.

Surgical Techniques at Greco Dermatology

Mohs micrographic surgery
Surgical excision
Electrodesiccation and curettage

The Importance of Being Fellowship-Trained

When you choose to work with Greco Dermatology, you can feel confident and assured you’re in the excellent hands of a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon. In addition to being fellowship-trained himself, Joseph F. Greco, M.D. also trained other fellows at UCLA in Mohs surgery. Fellowship-trained Mohs surgeons must undergo:

A competitive application, review, and selection process to be chosen for training
Extensive hands-on direction and education from highly qualified trainers who are themselves skilled practitioners of the Mohs procedure
1-2 years of additional training after residency
Exposure to rare tumor pathology, difficult tumor locations, and complex wound reconstruction
A minimum of 650 cases during training

Mohs Micrographic Surgery

Dr. Joseph Greco will function in all phases of the Mohs micrographic surgery procedure, serving as the surgeon, dermatopathologist, and reconstructive surgeon on the same day.

Mohs microscopic surgery has up to a 99% cure rate and is the most common treatment for skin surgery.

It is regarded for its ability to preserve the healthy surrounding tissue by removing the layers of skin one at a time to be evaluated under a microscope until the cancer is completely gone. This leaves behind the smallest scar possible.

The Mohs procedure can range from as fast as 45 minutes up to 3-4 hours. Once the cancer is completely removed, the next steps for reconstruction will be discussed.

Surgical Excision

A surgical excision (excision surgery) is used to remove lesions and tumors. Healthy tissue is also removed around the area. Surgical excision can be performed to treat basal and squamous cell carcinomas as well as melanomas. It can remove lipomas, moles, and many other lesions.

Local anesthetic is used to numb the area, and Dr. Greco will then excise (cut out) the lesion and some healthy surrounding skin. He will suture the skin together. The excised sample will then be examined for cancer if Dr. Greco thinks it is necessary.

Electrodesiccation and Curettage

Electrodesiccation and curettage is the scraping and burning off of skin growths and cancerous skin tissue. Curettage scrapes the tissue with a spoon-shaped blade, and then electrodesiccation burns the tissue with an electric current to control bleeding and destroy any leftover cancer cells.

Electrodesiccation and curettage is an outpatient procedure done under local anesthesia. After the surgical procedure, your wound will be dressed and you will be given home care instructions to care for the wound.

Scarring

It’s very important to us at Greco Dermatology to achieve the least perceptible scarring. Dr. Greco utilizes advanced reconstructive and suturing techniques to keep scars as minimal as possible, and we also monitor your skin closely as it heals.

We have many options if any “finishing touches” are requested or required for scar healing. These options include dermabrasion, resurfacing, laser technology, bio-enhancement with growth factors, scar micropigmentation, and cosmetic tattooing. We take pride in the aesthetic outcome of our surgical procedures.

Skin IQ

After working with our team, you’ll be much more informed when it comes to sun protection strategies and how best to minimize the risk of developing skin cancer. You will have a new outlook on your skin, with a clear plan for sun protection and skin care. We will make sure that you feel extremely comfortable in your care — and confident that you have a team behind you and available whenever you need. Our goal is to boost your Skin IQ through education on sun protection strategies to minimize the risks of chronic sun exposure. You will learn daily skincare regimens, methods to avoid harmful UV rays, tips on sunscreen application, oral therapies to lessen the risk of skin cancer, self-skin exams, and much more.

Greco Dermatology: Your Excision Surgery Center in Sarasota

Greco Dermatology is a premier and comprehensive skin cancer center centered around the surveillance, diagnosis, and treatment of skin cancer and suspicious lesions. Mohs micrographic surgery and excision surgery are both primary services here, and Joseph F. Greco, M.D. has been in the realm of skin cancer for 15 years. Known for his Mohs work at UCLA — one of the premier hospital systems in the nation — he has the experience and recognition needed to give you complete confidence in your treatment. If you’re in the Sarasota area and would like to meet with Dr. Greco concerning a diagnosis or surgical excision, we encourage you to contact us today.

Dr. Joseph Greco

15-year history as a Mohs surgeon at UCLA, one of the premier hospital systems in the nation; also served as Director of UCLA Santa Monica Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery for 12 years
Double board-certified by The American Board of Dermatology in Dermatology and Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery
Fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon (micrographic), reconstructive surgery, cutaneous oncology, and laser surgery at The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Appeared as a faculty presenter at numerous national conferences and workshops on surgical anatomy, advanced surgical reconstructive techniques, cutaneous oncology, and new laser and light source technologies
Served as Health Sciences Associate Clinical Professor, Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine at The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Author of an extensive list of book chapters, publications, and national lectures in the field of surgical anatomy, Mohs micrographic surgery, reconstructive surgery, cutaneous oncology, laser surgery, and the surgical anatomy of the head and neck
A 15-year history of skin cancer focus, which has allowed him to perform over 20,000 Mohs and excision surgery procedures
Recognized annually by peers as a SuperDoctor® in Southern California (2016-2022) as well as a TopDoctor® in Los Angeles in 2018