Mohs Surgery
Mohs Surgery in Santa Barbara, CA, Bakersfield, CA, Hanford, CA, Visalia, CA, Porterville, CA, Stockton, CA, Manteca, CA, Henderson, NV, & Sparks, NV
Mohs surgery is the single most reliable way to treat basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma skin cancer. Our experienced dermatology team at LUX Dermatology offers this advanced procedure at our offices in Sparks or Henderson, Nevada, and in Stockton, Manteca, Santa Barbara, Porterville, Bakersfield, Hanford, and Visalia, California. If you’ve been diagnosed with skin cancer, don’t hesitate to call the office nearest you today. You can also reach out online to find out more about how Mohs surgery can help you eliminate cancer while sparing surrounding healthy tissue.
Mohs Surgery Q & A
What is Mohs surgery?
Mohs surgery is named after the late Frederic Mohs, a professor of surgery at the University of Wisconsin. It’s a highly effective way to treat the two most common forms of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
Mohs surgery can also treat less common conditions like sebaceous carcinoma and extramammary Paget’s disease.
During Mohs surgery, your dermatologist plays several roles. They act as the surgeon who removes the cancerous tissue, the pathologist who analyzes the lab specimens, and the surgeon who closes the wound.
Mohs surgery has a 99% cure rate. It spares healthy tissue to minimize scarring.What happens during Mohs surgery?
Mohs surgery removes cancerous cells and any nearby affected tissue to ensure with nearly absolute precision that all cancer is eliminated without sacrificing healthy tissue.
During Mohs surgery, the doctor removes the tumor and a small amount of surrounding tissue. They examine the removed tissue under a microscope. If the cancer cells reach the edges of the removed tissue, another small portion of tissue is removed and analyzed until it’s clear that all the cancerous cells have been eliminated.
Each stage involves a very small sample so that very little healthy tissue is affected.
Once the cancerous cells have been entirely removed, the surgical site is closed. The process is methodical and precise, making it highly effective.Who is a candidate for Mohs surgery?
Our doctors at LUX Dermatology recommend Mohs surgery on a case-by-case basis. Whether your tumor qualifies depends on the following factors:
● How big it is.
● Where it is.
● How likely it is to return.
● How clearly defined the tumor’s edges are.
Mohs surgery is frequently used in delicate areas like the nose, eyes, ears, scalp, fingers, toes, and genitals. Mohs surgery allows the largest amount of healthy tissue to be preserved in these areas where the skin is thin and where scars may be noticeable.
Mohs surgery effectively treats large tumors and rapidly growing tumors. It can also be effective if your tumor has indistinct edges. Mohs surgery is sometimes used to treat early-stage melanoma too.