Melanoma is a skin cancer that occurs in the cells that produce melanin, also known as melanocytes. Melanin is the pigment that renders color to the skin. In addition to the skin, melanoma can also occur in the eyes and sometimes in the nose or throat. The exact cause of melanoma is still not known. So, what are the complications of melanoma?

1. Scarring
A scar can be left behind after any kind of skin cancer. However, a more significant scar can be caused due to melanoma because it is treated surgically. The treatment is performed much deeper into the skin as compared to other cancer types. Both the tumor and some healthy tissue around it have to be removed to ensure that cancer does not appear again. Thus, the scar is much bigger than the tumor itself. A hypertrophic scar that may develop later is another answer to the question of what are the complications of melanoma. Scars will, however, fade away with time and not continue to affect the appearance for long.

2. Hyper or hypopigmentation
An excess of melanin, which is the brown pigment giving skin its natural color, causes hyperpigmentation. Thus, one can see darker patches of skin as compared to the skin around. This can affect people of different skin colors. On the contrary, hypopigmentation is a condition in which a particular patch of skin appears lighter than the surrounding skin due to loss of skin color. Hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation can both take place at the site of treatment. Some cases can be reversed, and so doctors recommend applying sunscreen on the affected area once the scar has healed.

3. Skin texture change and tightness
Radiation on the site of the tumor or adjuvant radiation may be required in case of aggressive skin cancer. In such cases, the patient might need to undergo radiation of the lymph nodes apart from the affected area. This is done to prevent the recurrence of the condition. This might cause the skin to be a little tighter, and there can also be changes in the blood vessels. Due to these treatments, the skin texture can also change, which can last for a longer duration.

4. Wound infection after surgery
Skin cancer also presents a risk of infection, even though doctors try to keep the surgery as clean and free of any infection as possible. The wound, however, needs to be kept protected at all times, and it should also remain clean. When not kept protected, there is a chance of wound infection, which in most cases happens within a month of the surgery. The most common among all infections is a staph infection.