Cincinnati Mohs Surgery

Downtime depends on the size and location of the treated area. Most patients can resume normal daily activities within a day or two, while avoiding strenuous exercise and heavy lifting for about one to two weeks as healing occurs.

A Mohs surgery appointment typically lasts several hours, as the procedure is done in stages to ensure all cancer cells are fully removed. Patients should plan to be at the office for half a day, as wait times between layers are normal while tissue is examined.

The precise technique of Mohs surgery is often recommended for cosmetically important areas. This includes the face, ears, nose, fingers or toes. It also is recommended in certain cases if skin cancer is recurrent, at a high risk for recurrence, aggressive, fast growing, or large, if it has indistinct borders, or if the patient is immunosuppressed.

Mohs surgery is generally not painful, as the area is fully numbed with local anesthesia before treatment begins. Patients may feel pressure during the procedure and some mild soreness afterward, which is usually well managed with over-the-counter pain relief.

Any type of surgery can produce a scar, but Mohs surgery is designed to preserve as much healthy skin as possible. The wound may be left to heal naturally, closed with stitches, or reconstructed for the best cosmetic outcome.

Mohs surgery is highly effective, with a five-year cure rate of over 98% for non-melanoma skin cancers.