Skin Cancer Care in Sarasota

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, and Florida sees more of it than almost anywhere else in the country. If you have a spot that has changed, a sore that will not heal, or a family history that keeps you up at night, we can help. Our board-certified dermatologists guide patients through the full arc of skin cancer care, from that first screening exam all the way through treatment and, when needed, reconstruction.

At Sarasota IDO, our board-certified dermatologists provide comprehensive skin cancer care under one roof. We handle screening, biopsy, medical treatment, and surgical removal, and we coordinate seamlessly with our oculoplastic surgeon when facial reconstruction is part of the plan. Living in Florida means year-round sun exposure and higher lifetime UV doses than most other states, so we build our approach around that reality.

What Is Skin Cancer?

Skin cancer happens when skin cells grow abnormally, usually after years of ultraviolet damage from the sun or tanning beds. There are three main types you should know about, and each behaves differently.

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common. It usually shows up as a pearly bump, a pink patch, or a small sore that keeps scabbing and reopening. BCC grows slowly and rarely spreads beyond the skin, but if it is ignored it can burrow deep into surrounding tissue. Most BCCs appear on sun-exposed areas: face, ears, neck, scalp, chest, and forearms.
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common. It often looks like a rough, scaly patch, a firm red bump, or a sore that heals and then breaks open again. SCC grows faster than BCC and has a small but real potential to spread, especially when it develops on the lips, ears, or in patients with a weakened immune system. It is often preceded by actinic keratoses, the rough pink spots many Floridians know well.
Melanoma is less common but far more serious. It usually starts in a mole or as a new dark spot on the skin. Melanoma can spread to lymph nodes and other organs if it is not caught early, which is why we take every changing pigmented spot seriously.

There are also less common skin cancers, including Merkel cell carcinoma and cutaneous lymphomas, that we diagnose and refer for specialized treatment when needed.

Why Florida Residents Are Higher Risk

Florida has one of the highest skin cancer rates in the country. The reasons are not mysterious. UV intensity here is high year-round, the beach and boating culture puts people outside for hours at a time, and many of our patients spent decades in the sun before broad-spectrum sunscreen was common. A lot of our Sarasota and Bradenton patients also grew up in the northeast or midwest, moved south in retirement, and are now seeing the cumulative effect of a lifetime of sun.

Add in a warm climate that encourages shorts and short sleeves nearly every day, and the exposure numbers add up quickly. Even people who use sunscreen consistently benefit from regular skin exams because damage from earlier decades is already in place. The goal is to catch what has already started before it becomes a bigger problem.

Our Comprehensive Approach

We think of skin cancer care as a full journey, not a single appointment. Here is how we structure it.

1. Screening
A full-body skin exam is the front door for most patients. Dr. Ilya Lim, MD, FAAD or Dr. Shauntell Solomon, DO checks every area of the skin, including places that are hard to see on your own. If a spot looks suspicious under a dermatoscope, we discuss whether to biopsy it right then or watch it over time. Most screening visits take 15 to 30 minutes. See our [skin cancer screening page](/services/skin-cancer-screening/) for details on what to expect.

2. Diagnosis
If a spot needs a closer look, we do a biopsy in-office. This means numbing the skin and taking a small sample that goes to a dermatopathology lab. Results usually come back within about a week. We call every patient personally to go over what the pathology shows, whether that is reassuring news or a diagnosis that needs treatment.

3. Treatment
Treatment depends on the type of skin cancer, its size, its location, and your overall health. Options we offer or coordinate include:

  • Surgical excision — cutting out the cancer with a margin of healthy tissue and closing the site with sutures
  • Mohs micrographic surgery — a specialized technique for high-risk locations like the face, where we remove tissue in stages and check margins under the microscope in real time
  • Curettage and electrodesiccation — scraping and cauterizing for select smaller superficial cancers
  • Topical treatments — creams like 5-fluorouracil or imiquimod for certain superficial cancers and precancers
  • Photodynamic therapy — for widespread actinic keratoses and some superficial cancers

For details on our surgical options, (services/mohs-micrographic-surgery/) and (/services/skin-cancer-removal/).

4. Reconstruction When Needed
Skin cancer on the face, especially near the eyes, nose, or lips, sometimes leaves a defect that needs more than a simple closure. This is where our practice is different. Our oculoplastic surgeon works down the hall, so patients who need reconstruction after Mohs, particularly around the eyelids or midface, can be seen quickly and cared for by the same team. This is one of the reasons IDO exists as a combined practice.

5. Follow-Up
After a skin cancer diagnosis, your risk of another one goes up. We build a follow-up schedule based on the type of cancer, how aggressive it was, and your other risk factors. For most patients this means skin exams every 3 to 6 months for the first few years, then annually if things stay stable.

What the Treatment Involves

Most skin cancer treatments we perform happen in the office under local anesthesia. You are awake, you can drive yourself home, and you are back to normal activities within a few days for smaller sites. Larger excisions or Mohs cases on the face may involve more downtime and specific wound-care instructions.

We walk every patient through what to expect before we start. That includes numbing, the procedure itself, what the wound will look like immediately after, how to care for it at home, and when to come back for suture removal or a wound check. If reconstruction is planned, we coordinate that visit before you leave.

What to Expect at Your Visit

Your first visit for skin cancer concerns usually starts with a conversation. We ask about the spot that brought you in, your sun history, your family history, and any prior skin cancers. Then we examine the area of concern and typically the rest of your skin as well, since suspicious spots often travel in groups.

If a biopsy is needed the same day, we can usually do it right then. You leave with a bandage, wound-care instructions, and a timeline for results. Once pathology comes back, we call you to discuss next steps and schedule any treatment.

Bring a list of your medications, especially blood thinners, and let us know if you have any implanted devices or allergies to local anesthetics.

Schedule Screening

Prevention and Skin Care

You cannot undo past sun damage, but you can slow the pace of new damage and make the next skin cancer less likely.

  • Daily broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF 30 or higher on your face, ears, neck, and any exposed skin, reapplied every 2 hours outdoors
  • Sun-protective clothing including UPF shirts, wide-brimmed hats, and UV-blocking sunglasses
  • Avoid peak UV hours roughly 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Florida
  • Never use tanning beds they are a known cause of skin cancer, including melanoma in younger adults
  • Do monthly self-checks using the ABCDE method for moles
  • Come in yearly for a professional skin exam, more often if you have had skin cancer before

Prevention is not perfect, but consistent habits reduce risk and give us more chances to catch changes early.

Who Is at Risk?

Anyone can develop skin cancer, but some people carry more risk than others. You may benefit from a lower threshold for screening and closer follow-up if any of these apply:

  • Fair skin, light hair, or light eyes
  • Family history of skin cancer, especially melanoma
  • Extensive sun exposure through work or lifestyle
  • History of blistering sunburns, particularly in childhood
  • Immunosuppression, including organ transplant recipients and patients on certain long-term medications
  • Prior skin cancer of any type
  • Many moles, especially atypical or changing moles
  • Any history of tanning bed use
  • Age 50 and older

Living in Florida raises baseline risk for almost everyone. If it has been more than a year since your last skin exam, or if you have never had one, this is a good time.

Why Choose Sarasota IDO for Skin Cancer Care?

Patients choose us because we handle the whole picture. Dr. Ilya Lim, MD, FAAD leads our medical dermatology and skin cancer work as a board-certified dermatologist and Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, with board certification in Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery (Mohs). Dr. Shauntell J. Solomon, DO is a board-certified osteopathic dermatologist and fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon (Larkin Community Hospital, South Miami) who joined us from Skin and Cancer Associates in South Florida. Between them, we have two providers who can screen, diagnose, and perform Mohs surgery for skin cancer — and when facial cases require reconstruction, our oculoplastic surgeon is in the same practice, so there is no scramble to find a specialist and no gaps in communication.

We are located in Sarasota at 1617 S. Tuttle Ave, 3rd Floor, and in Bradenton at 5266 Office Park Suite 203, so patients across the region have a nearby option. Our pathology, biopsy timelines, and follow-up scheduling are all coordinated through one team.
Meet our providers: /providers/ilya-lim-m-d/ and /providers/shauntell-j-solomon-do/.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if a spot on my skin is cancer?

You cannot always tell by looking. Some skin cancers look dramatic, others look like a small pink bump or a stubborn scab. The general rule is that anything new, changing, or refusing to heal for more than a few weeks deserves a professional look. A dermatologist can usually give you a clear answer at your visit, and a biopsy confirms it when needed.

Most skin cancers do not hurt in the early stages. Some sting, itch, or bleed easily when brushed, but many are completely painless. Painlessness is not a reason to ignore a suspicious spot.

For most adults, once a year is the baseline recommendation. If you have had skin cancer before, have many moles, are immunosuppressed, or have a strong family history, we usually recommend every 6 months or more often.

Medically necessary skin cancer treatment, including biopsy and surgical removal, is typically covered by health insurance and Medicare. Coverage details vary by plan, and we recommend checking directly with your insurer about your specific benefits.

We call you to review the results and talk through options. Depending on the type and location of the cancer, we may recommend excision, Mohs surgery, a topical treatment, or another approach. Most treatments happen in-office within a few weeks.

Yes, either at the original site or somewhere new. That is why follow-up skin exams are so important after any skin cancer diagnosis. Most recurrences are caught early when patients stick with their follow-up schedule.

Yes. Sunscreen from age 40 forward does not undo damage from earlier decades, and most skin cancers appear on skin that was heavily exposed years ago. Regular exams remain important regardless of current habits.

Skin cancer is uncommon in children, but adolescents and young adults with heavy sun exposure, family history of melanoma, or many moles should have a baseline exam. It is a good idea to establish sun-protection habits early.

Related Services

  • Skin Cancer Screening (/services/skin-cancer-screening/) — annual full-body exams
  • Melanoma (/services/melanoma/) — diagnosis and treatment of the most serious skin cancer
  • Mohs Micrographic Surgery (/services/mohs-micrographic-surgery/) — precision surgery for high-risk sites
  • Skin Cancer Removal (/services/skin-cancer-removal/) — standard excision options
  • Mole Removal (/services/mole-removal/) — evaluation and removal of concerning moles
  • Actinic Keratosis (/services/actinic-keratosis/) — treatment of precancerous sun-damage spots
  • Post-Mohs Reconstruction (/services/post-mohs-reconstruction/) — facial and eyelid reconstruction after skin cancer surgery

Book Your Consultation

If you have a spot you are worried about, or if it has been more than a year since your last skin exam, we can help. Our team sees patients at both our Sarasota and Bradenton offices, and most new patients are seen within a few weeks.

Sarasota: 1617 S. Tuttle Ave, 3rd Floor — (941) 559-8336 I Bradenton: 5266 Office Park, Suite 203 — (941) 499-0199

This information is educational. It does not replace an in-person evaluation by a board-certified dermatologist.

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