What can I expect during Mohs Surgery recovery?

Although large skin cancers can be seen with the naked eye, it takes a microscope to visualize cancer at the cellular level. The only way to prevent recurrence of localized skin cancer is to remove each and every cell; otherwise any remaining skin cancer cells can reproduce and cause a regrowth of the cancer.

Mohs surgery is a specialized method to remove skin cancer. It is named in honor of Frederick Mohs, the physician who developed the technique. Mohs surgery differs from other methods of treating skin cancer by the use of detailed mapping techniques and onsite microscopic examination of the surgically removed skin. Mohs skin cancer surgery allows for the tissue to be examined during the operation through a microscope to ensure that all of the cancer cells have been removed adequately, and that removal of healthy, cancer-free tissue is minimized. Using the Mohs microscopic surgery technique there is a 95% cure rate.

Mohs skin cancer surgery is then followed by careful reconstructive surgery to repair the defect (hole) and to yield an aesthetically pleasing result.

Your recovery from MOHS surgery will depend on the extent and depth of the area that was removed and the method in which is was "closed". Larger areas may require that your surgeon create flaps of skin that are rotated or otherwise moved around to reposition or redrape the skin in order to close the area of the defect (the hole). In other instances, a graft of skin may need to be taken from another area of your body and sutured into place in order to cover the area. Sometimes the surgeon will create a "purse-string" to cinch the hole closed.

Your surgeon may cover the area with a bandage, a patch, a pressure dressing, or other type of dressing to prevent shearing forces, bleeding, fluid collection, or dirt in the wound. Sometimes, the area is only closed with a few stitches and recovery is no more complicated that applying antibiotic ointment, keeping the wound clean and dry, and avoiding sun.

Regardless of the extent of the surgery, you should not smoke or use nicotine which decreases oxygen supply to the wound and will impair healing. Depending on the area, stitches usually come out in 5-7 days on the face or eyelids, or 7-14 days on the torso or extremities.

For the long term, you should remember to apply broad coverage sunblock everyday (even if it's cloudy) and avoid sun exposure during peak hours (10am-2pm) to stave off more sun damage which could lead to future skin cancer.

Bacitracin ointment twice a day until healed.