According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, 1 in 5 of us will develop skin cancer at some point in our lives. It’s an increasingly common problem that many will have to deal with at some point.
If you don’t currently have skin cancer, you may want to read our articles on why good sunscreen hygiene is important as well as how to apply it properly.
In today’s article we want to explain why a Mohs surgeon is important if you end up being that 1 in 5 people that will need cancer surgery treatment during your lifetime.
Mohs Surgery
A Mohs surgeon is a skin cancer removal specialist with the skills, and tools to precisely remove any cancer cells that are present and preserve as much healthy tissue as possible.
At Summit, there is a pathology lab on-site to analyze skin tissue. During surgery, the patient has local anesthetic applied and cancerous skin is removed layer by layer and checked immediately in the pathology lab. This allows the surgeon to verify that he has removed all of the cancerous cells with the least amount of damage possible.
Other benefits of Mohs surgery include: having the lowest re-occurrence rates, the highest cure rates, the best cosmetic results of any skin cancer treatment
Mohs Surgery vs. Standard Surgery
Mohs surgeons focus on getting all of the skin cancer and leaving as much healthy skin as possible.
Non-Mohs trained surgeons do not have the benefit of a pathology lab and must remove additional skin to “play it safe”. The result is a larger wound, and longer healing times. Without the benefit of a pathology lab on-site, the surgeon cannot verify under a microscope that all of the cancerous cells have been removed.
When it comes to skin cancer removal, trust a Mohs surgeon. Removing skin cancer without removing healthy skin is what they do.
Mohs Surgery at Summit
At Summit Plastic Surgery & Dermatology, we are proud to have Dr. Roger Sica on staff. He has performed thousands of Mohs surgeries during his 12+ years as a Mohs Skin Cancer Surgeon.
If you have any concerns about your skin or are in need of a Mohs surgeon, please call us at (910) 794-5355 or use our contact form to get in touch. Our staff is eager to help.
Need to a Mohs Specialist? We can help!
Make sure you don’t have any spots, moles, or rough patches of skin that need attention before spring and summer gets here!