Mohs Surgery
Mohs Surgery Basics
A skin cancer diagnosis can be nerve-wracking without a doubt. Fortunately, there is Mohs surgery. Mohs surgery is one of the top treatment options available for certain skin cancers and it has better cosmetic results. The main priority of Mohs surgery is to remove as much of the cancerous skin tissue without harming the healthy tissue surrounding it.
What Can Mohs Surgery Treat?
Mohs surgery is known for successfully treating some of the most common skin cancers. Those skin cancers include:
- Melanoma
- Squamous cell carcinoma
- Basal cell carcinoma and
- Other types of unusual skin cancers
Moh removal is also particularly useful for skin cancers that have a high risk of recurrence or have recurred after previous treatment. This procedure also works well for large and aggressive tumors. Lastly, a specially trained Mohs dermatologist may suggest this procedure if tumors are located in areas where you want to preserve as much healthy tissue as possible. Areas like that would include around the mouth, nose, ears, eyes, hands, and genitals-to name a few.
What to Expect Before, During, and After Treatment
Considering Mohs surgery in Los Angeles? Here's what to expect before, during, and after Moh removal.
Before Treatment
Your Mohs dermatologic surgeon may recommend that you stop taking certain medications before surgery. Blood thinners and even certain supplements could interfere with treatment. It is extremely important that you let a medical professional know of any and all medications you’ve recently taken. Be sure to pack comfortable clothing and bring a snack or a book. The analytical part of the surgery, where the dermatologic surgeon examines the removed tissue, can be pretty time-consuming.
During Treatment
Before the surgery, we’ll clean the main area of focus, and then outline the area with a special pen. After that, we’ll provide the local anesthetic. Your specially trained Mohs dermatologic surgeon will remove the visible part of the skin cancer, as well as the surrounding tissue underneath. They will then take the removed tissue for microscopic examination. If we detect additional cancer, then we’ll continue removing layers of skin until the cancer is nonexistent.
After Treatment
Once your Los Angeles skin cancer surgeon has removed all of the affected cancerous tissue, then they’ll close the wound. Expect to go home completely free of cancerous tissue. Your dermatologist will give you instructions on wound care, as well as scheduling a follow-up appointment to see how the recovery is going. It is advised having someone else drive you home after this procedure.
Locations
1505 Wilson Terrace
Suite 240
Glendale, CA 91206
Don Mehrabi MD in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Encino Tarzana, and Glendale. Same/Next Day / Saturday appt.
16030 Ventura Blvd.
Suite 140
Encino, CA 91436
Don Mehrabi MD in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, Encino Tarzana, and Glendale. Same/Next Day / Saturday appt.
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