Typically, for a Relatively Minor MOHs Surgery, Post , when Can One Fly?

Thank you for your question. This is a difficult question to answer definitively, as every surgical case and patient is different. Generally it is recommended that a patient not travel for 1-2 weeks after surgery, as there will be a fresh and healing wound, sutures will need to be removed, and there is a potential risk for infection or wound complication. For these reasons, it is best not to fly and to be nearby one's surgeon in case of a untoward complication, and for standard post-surgical appointments. Assuming all goes well with suture removal and wound healing, your Board Certified Dermatologist or Fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon will be able to guide you regarding appropriate times for resuming travel. I hope this helps.

Ideally you should wait a few days after a smaller Mohs surgery before you travel by plane.  The first few days are when the risk of bleeding is greatest and you certainly would not want to be challenged with that issue while on a flight.  From a practical standpoint, if you needed to fly right after the procedure, you would want to bring with you a small (under 3 oz) icepack, Tylenol for any potential discomfort, and some gauze and bandages in case you needed them.  Also in an ideal world, you would have your wound checked the week after the surgery by the surgeon who performed it. 

Best option is to discuss with your surgeon. Everybody has different ways of managing patients in the post-operative period. I prefer to have patients in the area after surgery, just because in case there is a complication (such as bleeding or infection) I am available to see the patient and manage it. Complications are extremely rare but it's much easier to evaluate and manage them in person rather than with another doctor at another location. At the same time sometimes patients come from far away and in those cases we might see the patient the next morning and then send them back to their dermatologist or primary care physician for continued care. Good luck.