The Mohs Surgery Procedure: What To Expect

Your skin is your largest organ and needs as much care as any part of your body. If you enjoy your time out in the sun or have a history of skin cancer, regular appointments with your local dermatologist at Dermatology & Dermatologic Surgery Group of Northern Virginia are a must. You may need Mohs surgery in Vienna, VA if you're diagnosed with certain skin cancers. Dr. Linda Nims, Dr. Kelley Redbord, and Dr. Rebecca Barry understand how to use this very intricate procedure which has a high cure rate. They can also use other techniques and ensure that your skin cancer is handled with the utmost care.

What Is This Surgery For?

The Mohs surgical procedure is for certain types of skin cancer. Skin cancer is common but is highly preventable and treatable. If you have skin cancer on uncertain parts of the body or penetrating deep layers of the skin, the Mohs microscopic technique may be best. The major advantage of using this procedure is it's ideal for preserving as much non-cancerous skin as possible. Therefore, dermatologists prefer to use it on highly visible areas like the face or neck, where patients will be more concerned about cosmetic appearance.

How Is the Procedure?

Mohs surgery in Vienna, VA, is meticulous as your dermatologist takes extra care in removing thin layers of cancer skin at a time. After removing each layer of skin, Dr. Nims, Dr. Redbord, or Dr. Barry will carefully review it under a microscope. They will continue this step until all the cancerous skin is gone. It's an outpatient procedure that may take as little as 30 minutes or as long as a few hours, depending on how extensive the presence of cancer is. Since it's an outpatient procedure, you can go home immediately with little recovery time. In most cases, the wound can heal on its own. However, your dermatologist may need to stitch the area if they have to remove a deep layer of cancer.

The Dermatology & Dermatologic Surgery Group of Northern Virginia team has several ways to treat skin cancer. Dr. Nims, Dr.Redbord, and Dr. Barry are dermatologists who have conducted Mohs surgery in Vienna, VA, on several patients. Rest assured that your skin cancer diagnosis treatment and follow-up care will be in the best hands. Call us at (703) 938-5700 to make an appointment today.