Laser Surgery for Skin Cancer

Surgery Overview

Laser surgery uses a wavelength of light that is focused in a narrow beam. This high-intensity light is used to shrink or destroy skin cancers or pre-cancers (actinic keratosis). With lasers, there is usually less bleeding, swelling, and scarring. Healing is quicker, and you are less likely to get an infection.

Several different types of lasers are used to treat skin cancers, including the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser.

What To Expect

Why It Is Done

How Well It Works

Laser surgery is an effective treatment for actinic keratosis.^{footnote 1footnote 1}

If laser surgery is used to treat basal cell skin carcinomas, it should only be used for low-risk cancers.^{footnote 2footnote 2} While laser surgery may work well for these types of cancer, it may not remove all of the cancer and prevent it from coming back.

Risks

There is a slight risk of infection associated with laser surgery. Be sure to call your doctor if you have any of these signs of infection:

Increased pain, swelling, redness, tenderness, or heat.
Red streaks extending from the area.
Discharge of pus.
Fever of 100 F (38 C) or higher with no other cause.

References

Citations

Duncan KO, et al. (2012). Epithelial precancerous lesions. In LA Goldman et al., eds., Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine, 8th ed., vol. 1, pp. 1261–1283. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Vishal M, et al. (2010). Non-melanoma skin cancer. Lancet, 375: 673–685.

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of UseTerms of Use. Learn how we develop our contenthow we develop our content.

To learn more about Healthwise, visit Healthwise.orgHealthwise.org.

Page Footer

I want to...

Audiences

Secure Member Sites

The Cigna Group Information

Disclaimer

Individual and family medical and dental insurance plans are insured by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (CHLIC), Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Illinois, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of South Carolina, Inc., and Cigna HealthCare of Texas, Inc. Group health insurance and health benefit plans are insured or administered by CHLIC, Connecticut General Life Insurance Company (CGLIC), or their affiliates (see a listing of the legal entities a listing of the legal entities that insure or administer group HMO, dental HMO, and other products or services in your state). Accidental Injury, Critical Illness, and Hospital Care plans or insurance policies are distributed exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, are administered by Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, and are insured by either (i) Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company (Bloomfield, CT); (ii) Life Insurance Company of North America (“LINA”) (Philadelphia, PA); or (iii) New York Life Group Insurance Company of NY (“NYLGICNY”) (New York, NY), formerly known as Cigna Life Insurance Company of New York. The Cigna name, logo, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. LINA and NYLGICNY are not affiliates of Cigna.

All insurance policies and group benefit plans contain exclusions and limitations. For availability, costs and complete details of coverage, contact a licensed agent or Cigna sales representative. This website is not intended for residents of New Mexico.

Selecting these links will take you away from Cigna.com to another website, which may be a non-Cigna website. Cigna may not control the content or links of non-Cigna websites. Details Details