What is Mohs Surgery in Stuart, Port St. Lucie, and Fort Pierce, FL?
Mohs micrographic surgery is a revolutionary type of surgery used to diagnose and treat skin cancer. During Mohs surgery, skin cells are removed one layer at a time and examined under a microscope to check for cancerous cells. The process is continued until noncancerous cells are found.
How Mohs Surgery Is Used
Mohs surgery can be used to diagnose and treat skin cancers, including squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
What to Do Before Mohs Surgery
Before your Mohs surgery, you should stop smoking and stop taking any blood thinning medications, including aspirin. Mohs surgery usually doesn’t require sedation, but you may want to bring someone with you who can drive you home afterward.
Recovery From Mohs Surgery
Recovery from Mohs surgery is fast, usually taking about two weeks. You may be able to return to work the day after your Mohs surgery. As you recover, you should rest and avoid any heavy activity or strenuous exercise. Pain medication is usually not needed, but you may feel some sensitivity around the surgical area for a few days after your procedure.
How Mohs Surgery Compares To Conventional Excision Surgery
Mohs surgery offers many important benefits when compared to conventional excision surgery because Mohs surgery is often more:
- Effective, boasting a success rate of 99% for initial cases of skin cancer and 94% for recurrent cases
- Cosmetically pleasing, because only a minimal amount of tissue is removed, so you will have little to no scarring
- Comfortable, usually requiring only local anesthesia because it is far less invasive than conventional excision
When You Should Call Your Dermatologist
Complications from Mohs surgery are rare, but they do happen. Diabetes and other chronic diseases can cause delayed healing and other problems. You should call your dermatologist if:
- You develop a fever, because this could be a sign of infection
- The surgical area is not healing properly
- You are experiencing pain, which is increasing