Mohs Surgery
in Scottsdale, AZ
Mohs micrographic surgery is accepted as the most effective treatment for the two most common types of skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), providing a 98 percent higher success rate than other treatment methods. This method spares the greatest amount of healthy skin while providing the most effective cancer treatment available.
What Is Mohs Surgery?
Mohs surgery is a precise surgical technique primarily used for removing skin cancer. This procedure involves systematically removing layers of cancerous tissue and examining each under a microscope until no cancer cells remain. Mohs surgery aims to minimize damage to healthy tissue and is particularly useful for cancers with indistinct borders or those located in cosmetically sensitive areas.
Am I a Candidate for Mohs Surgery?
People diagnosed with basal or squamous cell carcinoma are typically good candidates for Mohs surgery, as those types of cancers have a high risk of coming back. Mohs surgery is meant to remove skin cancer lesions from the body until all the remaining skin tissue is cancer-free.
Mohs surgery is not recommended as a treatment for melanoma. Melanoma is a more aggressive form of cancer and can spread deeper than what can be removed with Mohs surgery.
Schedule a consultation with the Skin & Cancer Center of Scottsdale to see if Mohs surgery is the right treatment for you.
How Is Mohs Micrographic Surgery Performed in Scottsdale, AZ?
Mohs surgery is a fairly simple procedure. First, you’ll be numbed with the use of a local anesthetic. Your surgeon will use a microscope to examine the skin cancer lesion and will remove a standard margin of two millimeters around the visible biopsy site. The remaining skin will be cauterized to stop the bleeding, and the wound will be temporarily bandaged. The skin tissue that was removed will be examined and processed on a slide to see if it is positive. If the tissue is positive, you will be brought back so the surgeon can remove an additional layer of skin. This process will be repeated until the remaining skin tissue is cancer-free.
During traditional surgery, only some tumor margins can be examined. With the Mohs surgery, each layer of skin is examined after removal until no evidence of cancer remains. The wound is then closed by the surgeon using advanced surgical techniques. In some cases, the closure may be delayed and later closed by a plastic surgeon.
FAQs
What Is the Recovery from Mohs Surgery Like?
Surgical incisions from Mohs micrographic surgery differ depending on the severity of the case and may take from several days to several weeks to heal. The body will produce a scar that, like any scar tissue, will take 6 to 18 months to fully heal. Follow-up examinations are necessary, as is a five-year follow-up to check and ensure that cancer has not returned. It is important to keep all of your follow-up appointments.
What Results Can I Expect After Mohs Surgery?
After Mohs surgery, your basal or squamous cell cancer legion will be removed, and you will be free of the cancer. Your surgeon will seal the skin to close the wound from where the tissue was removed. Mohs surgery will leave a scar; however, it does preserve as much healthy skin as possible.
How Much Does Mohs Surgery Cost?
The cost of Mohs surgery in Scottsdale, AZ, will be based on a number of factors. It’s essential to know that the fees you’ll be paying include operating room costs, anesthesia fees, and the surgeon’s fee. It should also be noted that surgeons’ fees will vary depending on their expertise.
Want to Learn More About Mohs Surgery in Scottsdale, AZ?
The Skin and Cancer Center of Scottsdale performs Mohs micrographic surgery on-site with medically trained dermatologists experienced in Mohs surgery. If you have been diagnosed with basal or squamous cell carcinoma and need treatment, call us at (480) 596-1110 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a consultation.
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Our Locations
Scottsdale, AZ:
11000 North Scottsdale Rd. Suite 120
Scottsdale, AZ 85254
Carefree, AZ:
36800 North Sidewinder Rd. Suite A-2
Carefree, AZ 85377
Maricopa, AZ:
19756 North John Wayne Pkwy. Suite 101
Maricopa, AZ 85139
