Skin cancer treatment today includes a number of new and promising non-surgical therapies, but the majority of lesions are at an early stage when diagnosed, requiring only local treatment, so surgery still plays a main role both for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The purpose of this review is to discuss the etiology and behavior of different skin cancers, with a focus on the most efficient diagnostic tools and curative procedures, as evidenced by the most recent data in the literature. Neoplasms that can occur on the surface of the skin or arise from within the subcutaneous tissue are explained, as well as their potential for local recurrence or distant metastasis. The full diagnostic process and different surgical steps are thoroughly described. The review covers various aspects of surgery, such as the role in defining the nature of the cancer, the method of removing it from the patient, and the reconstructive approach to restore both function and appearance of the body. Even though non-surgical therapies are increasingly replacing surgery as treatment for advanced skin cancer, in many circumstances, a well-planned and conducted procedure will be effective and reliable as a definite cure. In the future, the most aggressive procedures may be abandoned in favor of combined and less invasive treatments that incorporate surgical and non-surgical therapies in a more constructive and standardized manner.