I am a 48 yr old woman who had Mohs Sx 2 weeks ago. The incision begins at the top of the nose beside the left eye and goes down the left side of the nose and across the tip of the nose. A large portion of my nose is numb and the scarring is not pretty. Am I jumping the gun, or will my results get better? I am not ready to wear this nose even at my age. Thank you
April 25, 2011
Answer: Healing after Mohs surgery
You are certainly reasonable to have concerns given the location but like others who have answered the question I will emphasize that 2 weeks after surgery is far too soon to judge the final results. Several aspects about scars improve over the first few weeks to months and often up to a year after surgery. These include: redness, bumpiness, numbness, visibility.
Occasionally your surgeon may feel there is some benefit to "touch-up" procedures after the surgery such as dermabrasion (often done 6-8 weeks after surgery) to blend the lines better or laser to hasten the resolution of redness.
The good news is most scars such as yours improve dramatically with time. In the short run, camouflage makeups specially designed to hide scars may be helpful to you. Many brands exist e.g. dermablend, coverfx. Make sure you visit a sales rep or esthetician who can teach you how to apply...
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
April 25, 2011
Answer: Healing after Mohs surgery
You are certainly reasonable to have concerns given the location but like others who have answered the question I will emphasize that 2 weeks after surgery is far too soon to judge the final results. Several aspects about scars improve over the first few weeks to months and often up to a year after surgery. These include: redness, bumpiness, numbness, visibility.
Occasionally your surgeon may feel there is some benefit to "touch-up" procedures after the surgery such as dermabrasion (often done 6-8 weeks after surgery) to blend the lines better or laser to hasten the resolution of redness.
The good news is most scars such as yours improve dramatically with time. In the short run, camouflage makeups specially designed to hide scars may be helpful to you. Many brands exist e.g. dermablend, coverfx. Make sure you visit a sales rep or esthetician who can teach you how to apply...
Helpful 1 person found this helpful
April 19, 2011
Answer: Duration of Numbness and Wound Healing after Surgery
It takes 6-12 months to get the final result after any surgery so you may be a little early to be concerned. Numbness is also common and disappears in about 90% of patients. If your cancer was particularly large or deep or involved larger branches of sensory nerves, the likelihood of complete recovery will be less. You might talk to your doctor about treatment options to improve the final cosmetic result. This might include silicone gel products or dermabrasion 2-3 months after surgery.
Helpful
April 19, 2011
Answer: Duration of Numbness and Wound Healing after Surgery
It takes 6-12 months to get the final result after any surgery so you may be a little early to be concerned. Numbness is also common and disappears in about 90% of patients. If your cancer was particularly large or deep or involved larger branches of sensory nerves, the likelihood of complete recovery will be less. You might talk to your doctor about treatment options to improve the final cosmetic result. This might include silicone gel products or dermabrasion 2-3 months after surgery.
Helpful