Mohs Surgery Now in Bedford, NH: Skin Cancer Prevention and Treatment Closer to Home

For more than 40 years, Seacoast Dermatology has helped patients across the New Hampshire seacoast find and treat skin cancer early. Now that care is closer for families in the Merrimack Valley. Our new Bedford office at 166 S River Rd is open and accepting new patients, offering Mohs surgery along with skin cancer screening and treatment. Leading care in Bedford is Dr. Dylan Badin, a board-certified dermatologist and fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon.

If you live in Bedford, Manchester, Merrimack, Goffstown, or the surrounding towns, you no longer need to drive to the coast for specialized skin cancer surgery. Here’s what to know about Mohs surgery, who it’s for, and the everyday habits that help keep skin cancer from developing in the first place.

Skin Cancer Is Common, and Highly Treatable When Caught Early

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States. About one in five Americans will develop it during their lifetime. The good news is that the most common types, basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma, are highly treatable when they’re found early. Even melanoma, the most serious form, has excellent outcomes when it’s caught before it spreads.

That’s why prevention and early detection come first in everything we do.

Prevention: Everyday Habits That Lower Your Risk

Most skin cancers are linked to ultraviolet (UV) exposure from the sun and tanning beds. And New Hampshire’s long winters don’t cancel out the damage from summer days at the lake, on the trail, or on the slopes. A few consistent habits make a real difference:

• Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher every day on exposed skin, including your face, ears, neck, and the backs of your hands. Reapply every two hours outdoors, and after swimming or sweating.
• Don’t skip sunscreen in winter. Snow reflects UV light, so skiers, snowshoers, and winter hikers get more exposure than they expect.
• Seek shade during peak hours, roughly 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., when UV rays are strongest.
• Cover up with a wide-brimmed hat, UV-blocking sunglasses, and sun-protective clothing.
• Avoid tanning beds. Indoor tanning raises the risk of both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers.
• Check your own skin monthly. Look for new spots, sores that don’t heal, or moles that change. Our guide to the ABCDEs of moles explains what to watch for.
• See a dermatologist for regular skin checks, especially if you have fair skin, a history of sunburns, many moles, or a personal or family history of skin cancer. Not sure how often you need one? Read how often you should get a skin check.

Rough, scaly patches called actinic keratoses are worth special attention. These precancerous spots can develop into squamous cell carcinoma, and treating them early is one of the most effective ways to prevent skin cancer.

What Is Mohs Surgery?

When skin cancer is found, Mohs micrographic surgery is one of the most precise ways to treat it. It’s named for Dr. Frederic Mohs, who developed the technique. Mohs offers the highest cure rate of any skin cancer treatment, up to 99% for many skin cancers that haven’t been treated before.

Here’s how it works:

1. The area is numbed with a local anesthetic. You stay awake and comfortable throughout.
2. Your surgeon removes the visible cancer along with a thin layer of surrounding tissue.
3. That tissue is examined under a microscope on site, while you wait. The surgeon maps and checks every edge of the sample.
4. If any cancer cells remain, only that precise area is removed. The process repeats until the edges are clear.
5. The wound is repaired, often the same day.

Because each layer is checked as it’s removed, Mohs saves as much healthy skin as possible while removing the cancer completely. You also leave knowing the cancer is gone, rather than waiting days for lab results.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Mohs?

Your dermatologist may recommend Mohs surgery for skin cancers that:

• Are on the face, eyelids, nose, lips, ears, scalp, hands, feet, or genitals, where preserving healthy tissue matters most
• Have come back after earlier treatment
• Are large, growing quickly, or have edges that are hard to define
• Are aggressive types of basal or squamous cell carcinoma
• Occur in patients with weakened immune systems

Not every skin cancer needs Mohs. Many small, low-risk lesions respond well to simpler treatments such as excision or electrodessication and curettage. Your provider will recommend the right approach for your diagnosis.

What to Expect on Your Surgery Day

Mohs is an outpatient procedure, but plan to set aside most of the day. Much of that time is spent waiting while each tissue layer is processed and examined. Bring a book, a snack, and a sweater, and plan on someone driving you home if your surgery is near your eyes. Our Patient Guide to Mohs Surgery and 4 Steps to Prepare for Mohs Surgery walk you through each step.

Why Choose Seacoast Dermatology?

Seacoast Dermatology is a physician-led practice whose core focus is skin cancer detection and treatment. Our team includes board-certified dermatologists and fellowship-trained Mohs surgeons. Our physicians have been named Castle Connolly Top Doctors every year since 2012 and New Hampshire Magazine Top Doctors every year since 2017.

Bedford joins our offices in Portsmouth, Exeter, and Dover. Patients across southern New Hampshire now have the same standard of care closer to home.

Schedule a Skin Check or Mohs Consultation in Bedford

Whether you’re due for a full-body skin exam, have a spot that’s changed, or have been referred for Mohs surgery, we’re here to help. Our Bedford office is located at 166 S River Rd, Suite 205, Bedford, NH 03110.

Call 603-956-6390 or schedule an appointment online today.