Mohs Surgery

The Gold Standard Skin Cancer Treatment

Mohs micrographic surgery, most commonly called Mohs surgery, has the highest cure rate with the lowest chances of regrowth, in some cases <1%, for common types of skin cancer, including basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). The small margins obtained in Mohs surgery provides the added benefit of sparing more of your healthy tissue than a standard excision.

This precise surgery is used to treat skin cancer, or cutaneous oncology, by removing and examining thin layers of cancerous skin cells repeatedly until only cancer-free tissue remains. On average, your surgeon will perform this process two to three times until the cancerous cells are completely removed. This multi-step procedure is completed all in the same day at the same appointment and ensures that all of the cancer cells have been removed before the surgeon reconstructs the wound and you are sent home.

Mohs surgery is considered the gold standard of certain skin cancer surgery treatments because it has the highest cure rate and saves the greatest amount of healthy skin, while also leaving the smallest scar possible for BCC treatment or SCC treatment.

Mohs Surgery: The Most Effective Treatment for Skin Cancer

Watch this video from the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS) that breaks down what you can expect from Mohs surgery and why this is considered one of the most effective treatments for common types of skin cancer:

Before Mohs Surgery

We recommend the following before your surgery:

• Avoid taking aspirin, Advil, Motrin, or other aspirin-containing products, unless directed by your practitioner, to minimize the risk of bleeding.
• Minimize alcohol intake for a few days before and after your surgery to minimize the risk of bleeding.
• If you’re a smoker, quit smoking for a few days before and after your surgery to help speed-up the healing process.

Reconstruction after Mohs Surgery

Once your Mohs surgery is finished and your surgeon has confirmed that all of the cancerous cells have been removed, your wound will either be stitched closed or left to heal on its own, depending on its size and location. 

In most cases, your reconstructive surgery will take place at the same appointment as your Mohs surgery. This surgery will also be done using local anesthetic only, and you will be able to remain awake for the entirety of the procedure. Reconstruction will involve closing the wound in a linear fashion, creating a skin flap (shifting nearby tissue), or a skin graft (taking healthy skin from an unaffected area of the body) to close the wound. Your surgeon will then provide you with detailed instructions on how to care for your wound.

Mohs Surgery Recovery

After your Mohs and reconstruction surgery:

• You will go home the same day as your procedure.
• Leave dressings on as instructed by your surgeon.
• Avoid strenuous activity and lifting.
• Some swelling and bruising is expected.
• Bruising and swelling usually dissipate within one to two weeks.
• Most patients resume their normal routines within a week to ten days.
• Most swelling subsides within a few weeks, although complete resolution of swelling can take several months.
• Any incision through the skin will result in a scar, reconstructive techniques are intended to minimize the visibility of the scar.

Watch this video from the ACMS that overviews post-operative wound care tips and will help you to recover with the best possible outcomes following your Mohs Surgery:

Schedule a Dermatology Appointment

Do you believe you might have a form of skin cancer, such as basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma? Our dermatology team is here to help guide you through the diagnosis and treatment process to give you the best outcome possible. Call (607) 547-6542 to schedule an appointment with one of our dermatologists.

Bassett Healthcare Network offers Mohs surgery consultations for skin cancer surgery treatment throughout Upstate and Central New York, including in Cobleskill, Cooperstown, and Oneonta, NY, and Mohs surgery treatment in Cooperstown NY.