Why Is Mohs Surgery So Effective?

Skin cancer is increasing in the United States for a number of reasons. Climate change is producing hotter and longer summers. Americans love the beach and the pool, but the sun is a known carcinogen. 

Aging also increases cancer risk, and the US population has a high number of baby boomers who didn’t protect themselves when they were younger.

If you have skin cancer or precancerous cells, early treatment not only produces optimal results, but it can save your life. Not all surgical treatments for skin cancer are the same. One surgical treatment, Mohs surgery, is the gold standard. 

Our board-certified dermatologists with Seacoast Dermatology are experienced in detecting and removing cancerous skin cells and tumors. Leading the team is our founder and board-certified Mohs surgeon James G. Dinulos, MD.

Not all dermatology practices have physicians who are trained in this special surgical technique. 

Why Mohs is the gold standard in treating skin cancer 

Mohs surgery for skin cancer is considered the gold standard because it has the highest cure rate of any technique: 98-99%. When having Mohs surgery, you can rest assured that cancer cells are eliminated. 

When is Mohs surgery appropriate? 

If your surgery is in a very visible area or an area where the skin is thin and delicate such as face or hands, you want your surgeon to use the Mohs method. 

Mohs surgery removes skin cells layer by layer. This way, it preserves the maximum amount of healthy skin, a key consideration when the area in question is visible. Not surprisingly, Mohs leaves the least amount of scarring possible. 

Mohs surgery is effective when used to treat basal cell and squamous cell skin cancer. If you had previous excision surgery for basal cell or squamous cell skin cancer and it’s come back, Mohs is the appropriate treatment to ensure that the cancerous cells are gone. 

We also use Mohs for early stage melanoma. Once melanoma has spread, Mohs surgery could miss cells that extend deep under the skin. 

Why is Mohs surgery so effective for treating skin cancer?

During the Mohs procedure, we use a scalpel to remove skin tissue beneath and around the visible cancerous spot. We then examine the tissue sample right away under a powerful microscope. If there are no more cancerous cells, your procedure is over. 

But if we detect more cancerous cells, we continue the surgery, taking another layer of tissue and examining it. We repeat the process until we find no more cancerous cells. This way, we can examine all of the margins around the removed tissue to see if there are any cancerous cells remaining. 

Using the Mohs procedure, we can assure you that all of the cancerous tissue is gone once the operation is completed. 

Call us at Seacoast Dermatology to make an appointment if you suspect you have a cancerous mole or spot on your skin. We have offices in Dover, Portsmouth, and Exeter, New Hampshire.