Mohs Surgery 101
Mona Dermatology is excited to announce a new provider and a new service offering this fall, thanks to the addition of local Mohs surgeon, Dr. Kasie Kudrewicz Adkins.
Have you or a loved one ever had skin cancer on your face? Then, you may have been referred to a Mohs surgeon to have this treated. Mona Dermatology is now offering Mohs surgery, in addition to our existing cosmetic and medical dermatology services.
What is Mohs surgery?
Mohs surgery is a type of outpatient skin cancer surgery, named for its founder, Dr. Frederic E. Mohs. This specialized type of surgery allows a these surgeons to completely remove skin cancer cells while minimizing damage to the surrounding healthy skin. Undergoing Mohs surgery is very safe and only uses local anesthesia. Mohs surgery is the most effective way to treat non-melanoma skin cancers with a five-year cure rate of more than 98%!
How does Mohs surgery work?
Your surgical team will begin by making sure you are comfortable, prepping the area for surgery, and numbing the area with a local anesthetic. Then, the Mohs surgeon will begin by gently removing thin layers of the cancerous tissue. They will examine the layers of tissue under a microscope to confirm that all cancerous cells have been removed. Your surgeon will continue this process until the cancerous lesion has been removed completely and only healthy skin remains. This technique is what makes Mohs surgery beneficial. It is highly precise and only removes small amounts of tissue at a time. It requires your surgeon to be highly specialized. They must act as both a surgeon and pathologist at the same time.
Who is a candidate?
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.
If you have a suspicious spot that has not yet been diagnosed by your dermatologist, it is best to begin by scheduling a spot check or complete skin exam online or by calling the office at 513.984.4800