Mohs surgery is the most effective and advanced treatment for skin cancer with the highest cure rate. It assures the complete removal of skin cancer with minimal loss of healthy tissue that surrounds it. It is no wonder that Mohs surgery is the most highly sought after type of skin cancer treatment. But one of the first questions patients ask about this advanced procedure is, “Does it hurt?” Let’s explore that question.
What Is Mohs Surgery?
Mohs surgery originally developed in the 1930s and has been refined over the years to be the most advanced, precise, and effective treatment for the removal of skin cancer. In Mohs surgery, the physician removes the skin cancer layer by layer, examining each layer under a microscope, until the tissue is healthy and cancer-free There is no guessing how much of the surrounding tissue to remove because the cancer is removed until no signs of the cancer cells remain.
When Is Mohs Surgery Required to Treat Skin Cancer?
There are many instances in which Mohs surgery is the recommended treatment. These are some, but not all of the times that Mohs surgery is used:
- If your skin cancer is in an area where it is important to preserve the maximum amount of healthy tissue for the best function and/or best cosmetic look. An example of this would be on the face where the surgeon desires to leave the least amount of scarring as is possible.
- If the area was previously treated by another method, but the cancer returned.
- If the skin cancer is large in size (over 2cm).
- If the skin cancer does not have clearly defined edges making it difficult to tell where it ends with the naked eye.
- If the skin cancer is growing rapidly or uncontrollably.
- If it is an aggressive type of cancer
Does Mohs Surgery Hurt?
While Mohs surgery sounds very involved, it is important to note that it is an outpatient procedure. That means that you can go home immediately after the procedure is done. This is because the physicians feel that the pain is minimal and that the patient will be able to resume normal activities quickly. Any pain that you may feel can usually be managed with acetaminophen and no prescription pain killers are necessary. Patients may experience so localized swelling which can be treated with an ice pack on the area for 20 minutes of each hour until it subsides. Any swelling or bruising usually improves within a week. Because patients have a surgical wound that needs time to heal, the physician will ask you to limit vigorous physical activities and excessive bending for 7 days. With this information in mind, it is safe to say that the pain from Mohs surgery is both minimal and bearable.
Take The Next Step
It is clear to see why Mohs surgery is the most advanced and precise skin cancer removal treatment in the surgeon’s repertoire. If your skin cancer requires Mohs surgery, you can feel confident that you will have the very best and most precise treatment for your cancer. If you have further questions, Dr. Christopher Weyer would love to sit down with you for a complimentary consultation at Dermatology and Plastic Surgery of Arizona. You can schedule a consultation with Dr. Weyer by calling his Tucson office at 520-207-3100 or his Sierra Vista location at 520-458-1787. You may also schedule an appointment by completing the form on this page. His offices are conveniently located at 698 East Wetmore, Suite #310 in Tucson, Arizona and 150 South Coronado Drive Suite #110 in Sierra Vista, Arizona.