What is the typical recovery and downtime from Mohs surgery? What should I expect for after care needs?

Thank you for your question. Recovery is always going to be different for everyone. Most patients report minimal pain/discomfort after surgery and require minimal or no pain medication. If patients experience a lot of pain, we will prescribe something for the pain. Most patients are able to return to work or school the next day after Mohs. Things to avoid while recovering include heavy lifting, straining, or strenuous exercise for seven to 21 days may be required depending on the area of surgery. Hope this was helpful, best of luck!Dhaval M. Patel Double board certified Plastic surgeonHoffman Estates BarringtonOakbrookChicago

Recovery after Mohs surgery can be very quick, depending on the anatomic location.  In general, surgery around the eyes, nose or lips can remain swollen longer than the forehead or face.  Although you may be healed, scars can be persistently red and inflamed for many months.  It is important to seek a qualified reconstructive surgeon after the Mohs excision that can assist with minimizing your scars

Without knowing the size or location of your skin cancer it's impossible to say how long your recovery will take. For small skin only defects, recovery can take about a week. For larger defects requiring complex multi-stage reconstruction, recovery can involve much longer periods of time. Your dermatologist and reconstructive surgeon should be able to give you a more accurate estimation.Stephen Weber MD, FACS