Mohs Surgery

Mohs surgery treats many types of the most common skin cancers including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and some melanomas. Mohs surgery erases the cancerous skin while preserving as much healthy skin as possible. Mohs surgery works best in areas such as:

• Eyes
• Ears
• Nose
• Mouth
• Hands
• Feet
• Genitals

The highly skilled team at Dermatology Associates of Central NJ advises you about where you need the surgery and what you can expect during treatment.

Mohs surgery erases the cancerous cells without removing too many healthy cells. Your doctor at Dermatology Associates of Central NJ erases thin layers of cancerous skin one at a time and examines each layer for cancerous cells until no more cancerous cells are present. Mohs surgery uses a general anesthetic and is an outpatient procedure, meaning you don't have to worry about a hospital stay.

During Mohs surgery, you're at risk of bleeding, experiencing pain or tenderness, or getting an infection. Less common risks at the surgery site include:

• Numbness
• Weakness
• Itching
• Shooting pain
• Scarring

It's important to discuss all of your concerns with the professionals at Dermatology Associates of Central NJ before receiving treatment. They can help to put you at ease before surgery.

Mohs surgery requires several hours of your time. Bring reading material or a fully charged phone to pass the time between treatments. In your procedure room, the surgeon cleans the area and gives you a local anesthetic.

They may outline your skin area being treated. In only a few minutes your surgeon erases the cancerous skin and a thin layer slightly bigger than the area. The surgeon examines the isolated section for cancerous cells. The process is repeated until no cancerous cells are found in the layer erased.