Mohs Skin Cancer Surgery: How to Promote Healing

Mohs micrographic surgery represents a significant advancement in the treatment of skin cancer. We are proud to provide this option for patients who visit our Teaneck, NJ office. The Mohs technique is intended to remove a minimal amount of healthy skin while achieving complete removal of cancerous cells. This procedure has improved patient outcomes in several ways, including appearance. The aesthetic outcome may be better than what is possible with conventional skin cancer surgery, but patients must also be aware of the importance of recovery strategies to optimize this.

Tips for Mohs Recovery

• Keep physical activity to a minimum. Mohs patients can walk after their procedure but probably shouldn’t do anything more strenuous for a week or two. Activities like jogging or even power-walking increase the heart rate. When the heart rate increases, so does blood flow. This could lead to unnecessary bleeding in the surgical wound. The area that has been treated should also not be disrupted. Until is it well-healed, the skin is fragile and susceptible to damage if stretched.
• Avoid sun exposure. Mohs surgery makes an incision to remove cancerous cells. The incision and surrounding skin are less resilient than it was before surgery and can be more easily damaged by sun exposure. Too much sun on a healing wound could lead to dark scarring that is difficult to correct.
• Avoid smoking. Smoking prevents adequate oxygenation of tissues. When healing after surgery, tissues need an abundance of oxygen and healthy circulation. Patients interested in any type of surgery are advised to stop smoking as soon as their procedure is scheduled.
• Avoid stress. We understand this may sound like a difficult thing to do after you’ve been diagnosed with skin cancer. Mohs surgery is known for its extremely high success rates, so this should provide some sense of relief. After surgery, patients should engage in activities that prevent an increase in stress hormones. Like smoking, stress hormones like cortisol are associated with inflammation and slow healing.

Mohs skin cancer surgery offers numerous benefits, including optimal cosmetic results and minimal tissue removal. To learn more about this procedure, call 201.836.9696