
Dermatology
Dermatology John Day Oregon
The Dermatology Clinic at Blue Mountain Hospital District provides full-spectrum skincare for both adult and pediatric patients. To make an appointment with Dr. Jill Olinger, contact your Primary Care Provider for a referral or call 541-575-2060.
Advanced Skin Cancer Care
Excision
During a standard excision, an area around the skin cancer is marked, the area is numbed, then the tissue is removed with a scalpel. Bleeding is stopped with electrocautery, a low voltage electrical current applied to areas of bleeding. Surrounding skin is sometimes loosened, so that it stretches for easier for the skin to be sewn back together, typically, with two layers of stitches.
Electrodesicciation and Curettage (EDC)
An EDC is a procedure typically used to destroy low-risk small cancers. The lesion is numbed, scraped with a curette (circular sharp tool), then cauterized with an electrocautery device (a low voltage electrical current applied to the bleeding area).
Mohs Surgery
Mohs micrographic surgery is the most advanced and precise treatment for removing most types of skin cancer. Mohs Surgery is a procedure that removes both the visible tumor and microscopic cancer cells beneath the skin surface. If Mohs Surgery is recommended, BMH patients can be treated by Derm Health Mohs Surgeons at Harney District Hospital or in Bend.
Dr. Oliver Wisco and Dr. Matthew Clark are Mohs surgeons with advanced experience in Mohs surgery. During this outpatient procedure, Dr. Wisco or Dr. Clark remove and microscopically examines thin layers of skin until only cancer-free tissue remains. The immediate microscopic examination of tissue differentiates Mohs surgery from other skin cancer removal procedures. The cancerous tissue is removed with reduced normal tissue loss, reducing wound size and chances of recurrence. For more information on Mohs Surgery, see Derm-Health.
Types of Skin Cancer
Central and Eastern Oregon have some of the highest rates of skin cancer in the world. Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, but it is treatable when found early. Skin cancer is also one of the most preventable cancers, through sun protection with protective clothing, sunhats and daily sunscreen use.
There are several types of skin cancer, with the most common ones being basal cell carcinomas (BCC), squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and melanoma. For more information on types of cancer, please see derm-health.com. Early detection is key to treatability and full recovery.