Mohs Micrographic Surgery was developed by Dr. Frederic Mohs in the 1930s. This technique is used to remove skin cancers in areas where the least amount of skin can be spared, such as the ears, face, hands, and feet. It is typically used for skin cancers such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, resulting in cure rates of 98% or higher, which is better than the standard excision method.

Mohs Surgery involves the excision of the skin cancer, followed by detailed mapping and a complete microscopic examination of the tissue and the margins surrounding it. If the margins are cancer-free, the defect is repaired. If not, more tissue is removed only from the remaining areas of skin cancer. This procedure is repeated until the margins of the final tissue examined are clear of cancer.

Mohs surgery eliminates the guesswork in the removal of skin cancers and eliminates the need to “estimate” how far out or how deep the skin cancer goes. This allows the Mohs surgeon to remove all of the cancer cells and also minimize the removal of as much normal tissue as possible.

Benefits of Mohs Surgery:

• Offers the highest cure rate for excision of skin cancers, such as basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma.
• Removes the least amount of tissue while ensuring the skin cancer is excised.
• All performed under local anesthesia in the clinic.
• Usually performed all on the same day.