The Many Marvels of Mohs Surgery
Jun 15, 2017
Skin cancer is an enemy of your skin. To overcome the diagnosis of skin cancer, it may feel as though you need the help of a Marvel comic book hero. There is something akin to a virtual super-hero in the world of dermatology.
Skin cancer is an enemy of your skin. To overcome the diagnosis of skin cancer, it may feel as though you need the help of a Marvel comic book hero. There is something akin to a virtual super-hero in the world of dermatology. It’s called Mohs Micrographic Surgery, and it is a treatment we are proud to offer to patients of our Teaneck, NJ laser and skin cancer center. We’ll outline a few of the reasons here.
It’s all about the Outcome
The very reason that Mohs Micrographic Surgery was developed was that a pioneer in skin cancer treatment, Dr. Frederic Mohs, recognized a need for better patient outcomes. Over the years, the technique of tissue removal has been refined so substantially that Mohs now has the highest cure rate of all skin cancer treatments. That rate is 99%.
Clearly, the success rate is the primary objective of any skin cancer treatment. After securing that, Mohs provides some secondary, though still significant, benefits. These include:
- Minimal reconstruction. Large areas of skin cancer are an exception, but a vast percentage of Mohs cases require little, if any, reconstruction. This is because the micrographic technique uses a meticulous mapping and removal process.
- The Mohs technique, due to the mapping of cancerous cells, removes the lowest amount of healthy tissue compared to standard excision. This makes Mohs an excellent option for visible skin cancers.
- The minor disruption of tissue that takes place during Mohs translates into a shorter and simpler recovery period. Most patients recover over 2 to 4 weeks.
- The tissue is examined immediately after removal. This allows patients to know the results of their treatment the same day that surgery is completed, not days later after a pathologist has reviewed sections of tissue.
- Mohs is surgery, yes, but it is an office procedure that needs the only local anesthetic to complete. Patients sit or lie comfortably as the process is complete, and rest in between excision while we examine tissue in our in-house lab.
Do you want to know more about Mohs skin cancer surgery? Visit our location , or call Advanced Laser & Skin Cancer Center at (201) 836-9696.