Mohs micrographic surgery addresses the medical and aesthetic concerns associated with the most common skin cancers among American adults, including basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. Mohs surgery is often performed on an outpatient basis by a highly skilled and experienced board-certified dermatologist with fellowship training in this highly specialized treatment.
Let’s talk about micrographic surgery and where you go in Miami, FL, for outstanding Mohs surgery.
How Does Mohs Surgery Differ from Other Procedures?
Mohs micrographic surgery is one of today’s preferred treatment methods for the precise removal of suspect skin lesions. Instead of simply excising potential cancer, biopsying it, and reconstructing the site at a later date, the Mohs procedure removes the skin spot in fine layers one by one.
Additionally, the tissue is mapped in the biopsy lab to determine if it is cancerous, its type, and where healthy tissue begins and ends. This precise mapping allows the skin cancer surgeon in Miami, FL, to remove all cancer present at the surgical site and preserve the healthy skin tissue as much as possible.
Mohs surgery can take one to five hours and usually requires local anesthesia. The skin surgeon personally analyses the surgically removed sample, and the patient returns to the operating suite if additional tissue must be removed, biopsied, and mapped.
Once the Mohs surgeon determines the site margins are free of cancer, the site can be simply bandaged, closed with a few sutures, or reconstructed with a skin flap or tissue graft. All in one visit, the Mohs surgery takes care of both the medical and the cosmetic issues associated with skin cancer.
Besides, Mohs surgery is highly accurate, with a cure rate of 99 percent, with only 5 percent of patients experiencing a recurrence at the operated site. Mohs surgery in Miami, FL, works well for skin cancers on the ear, eyelid, genitals, foot, scalp, and other areas where tissue preservation is important to preserve function and personal appearance.
Can Any Dermatologist Perform Mohs Surgery?
All board-certified dermatologists are skilled in comprehensive skin health issues, including cancer treatment. However, only a few have fellowship training in the highly technical Mohs micrographic surgery. Additionally, the dermatology practice must have special equipment and lab facilities to accommodate the precise requirements of the surgical procedure and tissue mapping and analysis.
So, any patient considering treatment options for skin cancer, including surgery, should ask the skin doctor if he or she is qualified and equipped to perform Mohs surgery.
Early Detection and Precise Treatment of Skin Cancer in Miami, FL
If you have concerns about skin cancer and need evaluation by a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon in Miami, contact Dermatology & Skin Cancer Center for a consultation. Dr. TJ Guiffrida can provide you with treatment options. If Mohs surgery is right for you, he’ll explain the procedure and guide you through the treatment and follow-up care.
For more information, call our office today to speak with a team member: (305) 461-2000, or request your consultation online by filling in a request form.
