Should I Remove my Bandage and Let my Stitches Air out 4 Days After Mohs Surgery?

Thanks for your post.  I hope you are healing well after Mohs reconstruction.  After every Mohs procedure you should be provided with written and verbal instructions about wound care so you should have crystal clear directions on how to care for the wound.  Please contact your surgeon as they may have forgotten to provide you with these instructions.  Every surgery is different and every surgeon has their own wound care preferences.  I hope this helps.

It is very important to follow your surgeon's instructions after skin cancer surgery. I perform many of these and have a wound care protocol that may differ from others.  The status of your scar will depend on how well you care for the incision. Raffy Karamanoukian, Los Angeles

Each situation is unique and only your surgeon knows the specific details of your procedure and should be the person commenting on post-operative questions such as this.  In our practice we do remove the dressing after 1 day

You should speak to your surgeon. However, we know that ointment on a wound allows the healing to proceed about 15% faster by one study, and antibiotic ointment makes it heal up to 28% faster. Keeping a bandage on a wound keeps the ointment in place. Airing it out unfortunately lets the wound dry. If the bandage comes off, more ointment and another dressing should go on. Good luck!

I would recommend first and foremost to follow the instructions provided by your surgeon. You could always call the office and ask if you are unsure.  That being said, my typical recommendation for all surgical incisions, including Mohs procedures, is to clean the incision line four times daily with hydrogen peroxide on a Q-tip followed by application of Vaseline or Aquaphor.  Cleaning with the hydrogen peroxide allows crusting to be removed.  An application of Vaseline or Aquaphor provides a moist environment for healing.  Typically skin, especially the top layer (epidermis), heals most effectively in an environment which is moist and free of obstructions.  I would avoid antibiotic ointments such as neomycin or bacitracin as consistent application can sometimes cause skin reactions.  Cleaning with hydrogen peroxide and application of Vaseline or Aquaphor should provide the most expedited healing time and least visible scar.  I hope this helps, good luck!!