Did you know that skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States? It’s estimated that one in every five individuals will develop it by the age of 70.

The good news is that it’s usually curable if caught early. For example, the lesions can be treated with cryosurgery and excision surgery.

Mohs surgery is another option. What is it? How does it work? Find out by reading the rest of the post!

We’ll be going over everything that you need to know about it below.

What Is Mohs Surgery? 

Mohs surgery is a minimally invasive surgical procedure that’s used to treat skin cancer. Unlike other treatments, it preserves healthy tissue, which limits the size of scars. For this reason, it’s often used for delicate areas such as the face, neck, or ears.

Named after Frederic Mohs, who developed the technique, it’s the most successful treatment for squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma. Not only that, but it’s effective for some melanoma cases as well.

How Does Mohs Surgery Work?

The Mohs surgeon will remove thin layers of cancer-containing skin little by little with a scalpel. The tissue will then be taken to a lab, where they’ll look at it under a microscope to determine potential malignancy. They will continue this process until all cancer cells are removed.

Depending on the lesion, the analysis can take up to an hour. In contrast, cutting away the skin only takes a few minutes. 

After removing the tumor, the surgeon will determine the best way to repair the area. For example, they might close it with stitches or use skin grafting. They might also let it heal naturally if the wound site is very small.

Potential Side Effects 

The surgeon will use a local anesthetic to numb the area—this removes the common risks associated with general anesthesia.

With that said, the procedure can still cause pain, tenderness, swelling, bleeding, and bruising. Depending on the individual, these symptoms may occur during, immediately after, or a few weeks after the procedure.

Rarely, it can also lead to temporary or permanent numbness in the affected area.

Recovering From Mohs Surgery

The doctor will cover the surgical site with a bandage. Leave it on for 24 to 48 hours; they’ll provide you with instructions on when to remove it and what type of wound care to use. Also, they’ll prescribe you antibiotics to help prevent infection.

Depending on the size of the wound, it can take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks for it to heal completely.

Avoid strenuous activities such as heavy lifting as it can elevate your blood pressure, causing bleeding or swelling.

Understanding Mohs Surgery 

Mohs surgery is one of the most successful techniques for removing skin cancer. Not only does it have a high cure rate, but it also has the best cosmetic results.

For more posts like this, check out the rest of our science section!