Find the Right Mohs Doctors for Expert Skin Cancer Treatment

Mohs surgery is a highly effective and precise technique for treating skin cancer. It’s performed by specialized physicians known as Mohs surgeons or Mohs Doctors. This procedure offers a unique approach to skin cancer removal, ensuring the highest cure rates while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissue.

The primary goal of Mohs surgery, conducted by skilled Mohs doctors, is to completely eliminate skin cancer while preserving as much healthy skin as possible. Mohs doctors achieve this by meticulously removing thin layers of skin and examining each layer under a microscope for cancer cells. This process is repeated until no cancer cells are detected. The precision of Mohs surgery reduces the likelihood of cancer recurrence and minimizes the need for additional treatments or surgeries, highlighting the expertise of Mohs doctors in skin cancer care.

Often referred to as Mohs micrographic surgery, this outpatient procedure typically involves local anesthesia, allowing patients to return home on the same day. Choosing experienced Mohs doctors is crucial for ensuring the best possible outcomes and a smoother recovery.

Why Choose Mohs Doctors for Skin Cancer?

Mohs surgery is a preferred treatment for various types of skin cancer, including common forms like basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, as well as melanoma and other less common skin cancers. Mohs doctors are particularly recommended in situations where skin cancers:

Have a high risk of recurrence or have returned after previous treatments. Mohs surgery offers a comprehensive approach to ensure complete removal, which is especially critical in recurrent cases managed by experienced Mohs doctors.
Are located in areas where tissue preservation is paramount. Sensitive areas like the face (eyes, ears, nose, mouth), hands, feet, and genitals require meticulous surgical techniques. Mohs doctors are trained to minimize scarring and functional impact in these delicate locations.
Have poorly defined borders. The microscopic examination during Mohs surgery allows Mohs doctors to precisely trace and remove cancer cells even when the edges are not clearly visible on the skin surface.
Are large or fast-growing. For larger or aggressive skin cancers, Mohs surgery provides a controlled and thorough removal process, ensuring that Mohs doctors can effectively manage these challenging cases.

For those seeking appointments or further information, consulting with clinics specializing in Mohs surgery and staffed by qualified Mohs doctors is recommended.

Understanding the Risks Associated with Mohs Surgery Performed by Mohs Doctors

While Mohs surgery is generally safe, like any surgical procedure, it carries potential risks. When performed by qualified Mohs doctors, these risks are minimized, but it’s important to be aware of possible complications:

Bleeding: Some bleeding during and after surgery is normal. Mohs doctors take precautions to manage bleeding effectively.
Pain or Tenderness: Post-operative pain and tenderness around the surgical site are common but usually mild and manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers. Mohs doctors will provide guidance on pain management.
Infection: Infection is a risk with any surgical procedure. Mohs doctors follow sterile techniques to minimize this risk, and post-operative wound care instructions are crucial to prevent infection.

Less common risks can include:

Temporary or Permanent Numbness: Nerve endings in the surgical area may be affected, leading to temporary or, in rare cases, permanent numbness. Mohs doctors are skilled in minimizing nerve damage.
Temporary or Permanent Weakness: If a large skin cancer removal involves muscle nerves, temporary or permanent weakness in the surgical area can occur, although this is uncommon with experienced Mohs doctors.
Shooting Pain: Nerve irritation can sometimes cause shooting pain in the area, which usually resolves over time.
Scarring: Scarring is an inherent part of any surgery. Mohs doctors are trained in reconstructive techniques to minimize scarring and optimize cosmetic outcomes.

Discussing these risks with your Mohs doctor before the procedure is essential to ensure you are fully informed and comfortable.

Preparing for Mohs Surgery with Your Mohs Doctor

Your Mohs doctor will provide specific instructions to prepare for your surgery. This may include:

Medication Adjustments: Inform your Mohs doctor about all medications and supplements you are taking, especially blood thinners or supplements that may increase bleeding risk. Your Mohs doctor will advise you on which medications to stop or continue before surgery.
Schedule Planning: Mohs surgery duration can vary, and it’s difficult to predict precisely how long the procedure will take. While most procedures are completed within a few hours, it’s advisable to clear your schedule for the entire day to accommodate any potential delays. Your Mohs doctor’s office can provide a more realistic estimate based on your specific case.
Comfortable Attire: Wear comfortable, casual clothing, and dress in layers to adjust to room temperature variations at the surgical center or doctor’s office.
Entertainment: Expect waiting periods during the Mohs surgery process, particularly while tissue samples are being analyzed. Bring a book, magazine, or other forms of entertainment to help pass the time.
Pre-Surgery Meal: Unless instructed otherwise by your Mohs doctor’s team, it is generally acceptable to eat before your Mohs surgery appointment. Follow any specific dietary instructions provided by your healthcare team.

What to Expect During Mohs Surgery Performed by Your Mohs Doctor

Mohs surgery is typically performed in an outpatient setting, such as a surgery center or a Mohs doctor’s office, equipped with a nearby laboratory.

The procedure generally takes less than four hours, but planning for the entire day is recommended to account for potential variations.

Upon arrival, the surgical area will be cleaned and outlined. Local anesthesia will be administered via injection to numb the area, ensuring a pain-free procedure under the care of your Mohs doctor.

Steps During the Mohs Procedure

Initial Removal: After the local anesthetic takes effect, your Mohs doctor will use a scalpel to remove the visible skin cancer and a thin layer of surrounding tissue. A temporary bandage will be applied to the surgical site. This initial stage is brief, typically lasting only minutes.
Laboratory Analysis: The removed tissue sample is then taken to the adjacent lab for immediate microscopic examination. This step is the most time-consuming part of the process.
Waiting Period: You will wait in a comfortable waiting area, usually for about an hour, while the tissue is processed and analyzed. During this time, you can use the restroom or have a snack, but you must remain within the facility until the procedure is complete.
Microscopic Examination and Mapping: A technician or the Mohs doctor themselves will prepare the tissue sample, cutting it into sections and examining them under a microscope. The Mohs doctor creates a detailed map of the surgical site, precisely noting the location of each tissue piece removed. This mapping is crucial for targeted removal of any remaining cancer cells.
Subsequent Removals (if necessary): If cancer cells are detected in a tissue sample, your Mohs doctor will return to the surgical site and remove another thin layer of tissue specifically from the area where cancer cells were found, guided by the map. This targeted removal ensures minimal removal of healthy tissue. The process of tissue removal, lab analysis, and mapping is repeated until all tissue samples are cancer-free. Additional local anesthetic may be administered as needed.

After the Mohs Procedure with Your Mohs Doctor

Once all cancer is removed, you and your Mohs doctor will discuss wound closure options. These may include:

Natural Healing (Letting the wound heal on its own): Suitable for smaller wounds, allowing the body to naturally close the wound.
Sutures (Stitches): A common method for closing wounds, bringing the edges of the skin together for healing.
Flap Closure (Pulling skin from a nearby area): Involves using adjacent skin to cover the wound, often used for larger defects.
Graft Closure (Using skin from another part of the body): Utilizes skin from a donor site, such as behind the ear, to cover the wound, typically for larger or more complex wounds.

Most wound repairs are performed immediately following Mohs surgery. Complex or large wounds may require temporary closure and a subsequent procedure for definitive repair, although this is less common.

Post-operative pain is usually mild and manageable with over-the-counter pain relievers. Severe pain is uncommon; contact your Mohs doctor if you experience significant pain.

A bandage will be required for a week or longer, depending on the wound. Your Mohs doctor will provide detailed wound care instructions, including bandage changing frequency and wound cleaning guidelines.

Mohs Surgery Results: Immediate and Effective

One of the significant advantages of Mohs surgery performed by skilled Mohs doctors is that results are immediate. You typically leave your appointment knowing that all skin cancer has been removed. Follow-up visits with your Mohs doctor or primary care provider will be scheduled to monitor wound healing and ensure proper recovery.

For expert skin cancer treatment and the highest chance of cure, seeking out qualified Mohs doctors is a crucial step in your healthcare journey.

Doctors & Departments

Sept. 19, 2024

References:

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