What Is Mohs Surgery And When Is It Used

1. What is Mohs Surgery and when is it used? Mohs surgery is used to treat skin cancer. It is also called Mohs Micrographic surgery. The main goal of Mohs surgery is to remove as much of the skin cancer as possible. That is the unique thing about Mohs; during the surgery, the surgeon can see where the cancer stops. The removal of the skin is done in a precise surgery where there is minimal damage done to the surrounding healthy tissue because the surgeon only removes the skin with the cancer cells. This increases the chance of cure. Mohs surgery is used to treat the most common skin cancers like Basal cell carcinoma- Is the most common type of skin cancer. It is found at the bottom of the epidermis. Basal

2. cell carcinoma is most common on exposed parts of the body like the face, ears, neck, scalp, etc. It usually appears as a small, shiny bump on the skin. Overexposure is usually the cause. Squamous cell carcinoma- Squamous cell carcinoma is a tumor that occurs in the outer layer of the skin. Middle- aged and seniors, especially those with fair complexion and frequent sun exposure, are most likely to be affected. It will appear as a bump or a scaly red patch. Malignant melanoma- Melanoma is the most deadly of all skin cancers. But if found in the early stages, it is curable. It usually appears as a dark spot on the skin. Mohs surgery in Bountiful is ideal for removing these types of skin cancers because  -There is a lower chance of the skin cancer coming back.  -It's ideal for areas where you want to preserve as much healthy tissue as you can especially in areas like the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, etc. Mostly during Mohs surgery, patients will remain awake and alert. The surgery is usually performed in a medical office or surgical suite. Although the patients are awake, they are still given an injection of anesthetic to numb the area that will be operated on. The typical removal process includes the surgeon removing the outermost layer of the area, examining it, and if cancer cells are found, then the surgeon will remove the entire layers of affected skin.

3. The recovery time depends on the patient. After all of the cancer cells are removed, the surgeon will close the wound up with stitches, skin flap, or a skin graft. If the surgical area is extensive, your surgeon may refer you to another surgeon for reconstructive surgery, which can take more time for recovery.