Mohs Surgery
Specialized surgery minimizes scarring and preserves healthy skin.
What is Mohs?
Mohs offers the highest skin cancer cure rate and delivers the best cosmetic results.
Mohs micrographic surgery is an outpatient procedure that involves the surgeon removing the visible tumor and then creating a map of the cancer site. The surgeon removes smaller and smaller sections of surrounding tissue — which are studied under a microscope — until the surgeon determines all the cancer has been removed.
Once the cancer has been removed, the surgeon repairs the wound using the most advanced reconstructive procedures to ensure you receive the most aesthetically pleasing result.
Benefits
The Mohs technique provides the following benefits:
Success: Mohs provides the highest cure rate of any treatments for skin cancer — up to 99% — and substantially decreases the chance of skin cancer recurrence.
Preservation: Mohs minimizes the removal of normal skin tissue, potentially allowing for smaller scars.
Safe: Mohs is performed under local anesthesia. This permits faster patient recovery and a lower risk of complications, especially for older patients.
Efficient: Mohs requires only a single-visit outpatient surgery. The Mohs surgeon is specially trained to complete your skin cancer treatment, interpret the pathology evaluation, and complete most wound reconstruction in the same visit.
Patient Education
Mohs is performed by a physician who is trained to fill three important roles:
- Serve as the surgeon to remove the cancerous tissue
- Serve as the pathologist to analyze the tissue in a lab
- Serve as the surgeon to reconstruct the site in a cosmetically appealing manner
Preparation:
- Watch the video at right and study the graphic above for a straightforward explanation of the surgery.
- Visit the Your Surgery Visit page, which explains what you can expect throughout the process.
Postsurgical Care:
Your medical team will walk you through your specific Mohs surgery postoperative instructions. General instructions are also available for download.
Your Surgical Visit
Our main goals are to ensure your comfort during surgery, completely remove your tumor and minimize scarring. Our dedicated team is ready to answer questions, offer support and provide extraordinary care and kindness.
Practice Preventive Care
Limit your sun exposure, wear sunscreen and dress appropriately year-round. We encourage everyone to schedule regular skin checks to detect skin conditions early and to ensure your skin looks great and remains healthy.