Reconstructive Surgery for Melanoma

If the surgeon is required to remove a large piece of skin in order to remove the melanoma in its entirety, a reconstructive surgical procedure may be required to close up the skin. This may involve removing skin from another part of the body, such as the upper thigh, to cover the site where the skin cancer was removed. This is called a skin graft. Alternatively, the surgeon may rotate a portion of skin from a neighboring area to cover the site. This is called a skin flap.