Skin cancer often involves the skin of the eyelid or adjacent face. Usually skin cancers appear as painless elevations or nodules. Occasionally, the eyelashes are distorted or missing. The may be ulcerations of the involved area, along with bleeding, crusting, and/or distortion of the normal skin structure. Excessive sunlight is the single most important factor associated with skin cancers on the face, though skin cancers may also be hereditary.

There are two very important principles in the treatment of eyelid skin cancers--complete removal and reconstruction. Complete removal of the tumor is critical to minimize the possibility of recurrence. Once the tumor has been completely removed, reconstructive surgery is performed to make a new eyelid or repair the defect. The goals remain the same: to reconstruct the eyelid so that it functions properly, protects the eye and preserves vision, and has a satisfactory cosmetic appearance.