• Mohs micrographic surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure in the office.
• While the surgery is highly effective, it does require time and patience.
• The area where the skin cancer is located will be cleansed, and then numbed with a local anesthetic like the one used during the biopsy.
• The Mohs surgeon then removes the visible tumor along with a thin layer of surrounding tissue.
• This tissue is prepared and put on slides by a technician and examined under a microscope by the Mohs surgeon.
• If there is evidence of residual cancer, another layer of tissue is taken from the area where the cancer was detected. This ensures that only cancerous tissue is removed during the procedure, minimizing the loss of healthy tissue.
• These steps are repeated until all samples are free of cancer.
• When the Mohs surgery is complete, the doctor will discuss wound management with you. Depending on the size and location of the wound as well as patient preference, wounds can either heal on their own or be stitched.