An estimated 9,500 Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer daily, making it the most common type of cancer in the U.S. While it’s a grim prospect, there’s a chance for full recovery with early treatment, especially if you undergo Mohs surgery. It’s a precise technique with a high success rate, making it the “gold standard” for skin cancer treatment.
If you have skin cancer, it’s essential to familiarize yourself with all your options so you can choose the best path for you. To help you learn more about Mohs surgery, here are its advantages over other forms of treatment.
What Is Mohs Surgery?
Mohs surgery is an advanced surgical technique. It involves removing the visible parts of cancer and some of the skin around it. The dermatologist will then divide and color-code the skin tissue according to the body parts they were from and check if there are remaining cancer cells. If there are, the patient will undergo another procedure, targeting only the areas with cancer cells. They’ll continue to receive Mohs surgery treatments until no cancer cells are left.
It’s a highly effective technique because it allows doctors to find and remove the “cancer roots.” According to a study by the National Institute of Health, Mohs surgery has a success rate of 95%, curing patients within six years.
Why You Should Consider Mohs Surgery
Mohs surgery is known as the most successful form of treatment for skin cancer. Aside from having the highest cure rate, here are all the other benefits it provides patients:
There’s a Lower Chance of Skin Cancer Recurrence
Unlike other procedures, Mohs surgery takes the guesswork out of the process. The dermatologist examines the extracted skin tissue under a microscope, confirming whether or not there are remaining cancer cells. Because it involves a high level of accuracy, it lowers the chances of recurrence in recovering skin cancer patients.
There’s Less Scarring and Faster Recovery Time
Mohs surgery is a precise technique, removing the cancerous areas one thin layer at a time. It aims to preserve as much healthy tissue as possible, leaving patients with less noticeable scars than other treatments. In addition, the healing process is faster, with most patients only needing two to four weeks. Mohs surgery is ideal for patients with skin cancer on visible parts of their body, like the face and neck.
You Don’t Have to Wait and Wonder About Your Results
One of the best things about Mohs surgery is that it eliminates the waiting and worrying process. While traditional methods use external labs to determine the results, the Mohs surgery treatment examines the skin tissue upon removal. You can leave the clinic knowing that your dermatologist has removed all cancer cells.
It’s a Cost-effective Treatment
Because of the high success and low recurrence rates of Mohs surgery, there are fewer chances of spending more on additional treatments. In addition, it’s usually an outpatient procedure, so patients don’t have to pay additional hospital bills for confinement.
It Takes Only up to 10 Minutes
Dermatologists perform Mohs surgery under local anesthesia, meaning patients aren’t put to sleep. You’ll be awake throughout the procedure, which doesn’t take more than 10 minutes. The longest part of the process is waiting for the results, which you can do comfortably in your dermatologist’s clinic.
The Bottom Line
Anyone with skin cancer should consider Mohs surgery for its high success and low recurrence rates, among other benefits. It can treat squamous and basal cell carcinoma and more unusual types of skin cancer. For more information, contact Complete Family Dermatology at (402) 423-1111.
