What You Did Not Know About Mohs Surgery

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States but also the most preventable. Early detection is key to surviving skin cancer, so it is crucial to know what to do if you think you have it. If you suspect that you have skin cancer, visit your doctor. Your physician will figure out whether or not you have skin cancer and determine what kind of skin cancer it is. Then, they will have to decide how to treat it. There are several options for treating skin cancer, including Dallas Post-Mohs surgery.

What is Mohs surgery?

Mohs surgery is a specialized treatment for skin cancer that removes the cancerous tissue with the least amount of surrounding healthy tissue. The surgeon uses a microscope to ensure that the tumor can be removed and ensures that it will not grow back. Mohs surgery is an outpatient procedure, which means you can go home after the surgery. This makes Mohs surgery a good option if you need to keep working or have trouble taking time off from work. In addition, Mohs surgery has less scarring than traditional methods of treating skin cancer, which can be especially helpful if you want to keep your scars hidden, such as on your face or neck.

How is Mohs surgery performed?

Using a microscope and moving layer by layer through the tissue, the surgeon removes part of the skin until they find clear margins. That means no sign of cancer remaining in the area between the layers of skin called subcutaneous fat. Once clear margins are found and confirmed, the surgeon stops removing the tissue. The patient will return for more layers to be removed over time until all cancer cells are removed. This procedure can take up to 20 visits over several months.

What are the side effects of Mohs surgery?

Mohs surgery is linked to minimal side effects. However, the side effects are dependent on the type of skin cancer and the extent of the patient’s condition. For patients with basal cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer, some patients may experience minimal discomfort and healing time.

However, in some cases, especially with patients who have received treatment for squamous cell carcinoma, more severe symptoms are experienced. These symptoms could be scabbing, redness, and swelling in the affected areas. Your physician will determine whether you are the right candidate for Mohs surgery.

Mohs surgery is known to be very successful in dealing with BCC. Because this type of surgery has fewer side effects than alternative treatments, it can provide better outcomes for patients with less chance of recurrence and great cosmetic results.

Mohs surgery is a common treatment for basal cell carcinoma (BCC), the most common form of skin cancer, and is used to remove skin cancers at a more advanced stage. The process involves removing the visible tumor from the affected area and cutting out any tissue that appears abnormal under the microscope. That tissue is then examined under a microscope to determine whether it appears cancerous. This process is repeated until there are no more cancerous cells in the sample. For more information about Mohs surgery, Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine, Specialists got you covered.