Mohs Surgery Specialist

What is Mohs surgery?

Mohs surgery is an advanced surgical technique for the precise removal of skin cancer cells. Throughout the procedure, your doctor removes layer upon layer of cells from the cancerous lesion and tests them under a microscope to make sure they eliminate all traces of cancer while damaging as little healthy skin as possible.

During the procedure, your doctor uses a local anesthetic to numb the skin around your lesion. You may sit comfortably and bring a source of entertainment like a book, phone, or tablet to use each time your provider goes to the lab with a sample of cells. While the surgery can take as little as an hour, you should be prepared to remain at the office all day just in case.

To be sure that they remove only the cancerous tissue and leave your healthy skin intact, your doctor sections each layer of cells that they remove into four pieces. By evaluating each piece of tissue, they can tell where cancer cells are concentrated and target those during the next round.

Is Mohs surgery the right choice for my treatment?

Mohs surgery works for several common skin cancer types, including basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. RAOOF MD Dermatology corresponds with your primary physician and evaluates your skin cancer to decide if Mohs surgery is the most appropriate treatment. Criteria that make Mohs surgery a viable option include:

• Poorly defined borders of a cancerous lesion
• Skin cancer in a visible location
• Returning skin cancer
• Large or aggressive skin cancer
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Mohs surgery lets you keep as much healthy tissue intact as possible. For this reason, many patients with skin cancer on their faces, ears, hands, or genitals opt for Mohs surgery to minimize scarring after treatment.

How long does it take to recover after Mohs surgery?

Your recovery after Mohs surgery depends on the amount of tissue your provider removes during the process. Since each piece of tissue is tested until there are no more signs of cancer, it’s impossible to predict the extent of tissue removal and the time it will take to heal. If the tissue removal is minimal, you might not need stitches or skin grafts to close the wound.

You can expect it to take four to six weeks for your Mohs surgery wound to heal entirely. Your doctor gives you a more accurate idea of a timeframe immediately following your surgery.

To determine if Mohs surgery is the best treatment for your skin cancer, call RAOOF MD Dermatology or book an appointment online today.