I am having mohs surgery on top of my foot. what are my healing options?

Question

Is wearing a boot one of my options

Adam J. Mamelak, MD · Answer

Skin cancers can develop anywhere, including on the feet. Your question is a good one because swelling and decreased circulation that commonly occur in the lower legs and feet and impair healing. There are a number of ways to reconstruct the skin after Mohs surgery with sutures, skin grafts and skin flaps. The exact approach is really dependent on the dimension and location of the surgical wound left behind after the skin cancer is removed. Speak to you surgeon about the options available. Other things to ask about would be activities - staying off your foot and elevating your leg can often alleviate swelling and aid in healing. Pressure bandages and even pressure boots can also be used, but it is always best to check with your doctor before implementing any of these treatments. Depending on your circulation and the health of the blood vessels in your legs, some of these approaches can potentially interfere with the healing process.

Andrew Kaufman, MD · Answer

Your best option is to talk to the doctor who will be performing your Mohs surgery. The repair afterwards is dependent upon the size of the skin cancer (e.g. diameter and depth) as well as other factors related to the patient, location, etc Options for repair include secondary intention healing (i.e. letting the wound heal in by itself), side-to-side repair, flap repair or skin graft repair. Talk to your doctor before the surgery to get an idea what direction he/she is planning; however, they won't be able to make a firm decision (most likely) until after the cancer is clear and the wound can be evaluated. Good luck.

F. Victor Rueckl, MD (in memoriam) · Answer

This is hard to answer without knowing an approximate size of the skin cancer being removed... Mohs is used to take as little tissue as possible and still get to clear margins. Sometimes on the foot we let the site heal by secondary intention (no sutures), sometimes it can be flapped and have sutures, and sometimes there may need to be a graft. All of this depends on the size of the surgical site. Your surgeon will be able to guide you as to what he/she thinks at this point, but you may not know for certain what will be the best options for healing until the procedure is performed. "This answer has been solicited without seeing this patient and cannot 
be held as true medical advice, but only opinion. Seek in-person 
treatment with a trained medical professional for appropriate care."

I am having mohs surgery on top of my foot. what are my healing options?

Answers (3)

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Mohs Surgery

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.

I am having mohs surgery on top of my foot. what are my healing options?

Answers (3)

Browse related questions

Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Mohs Surgery

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.