Mohs surgery is a precision based medical procedure that is used to treat various types of skin cancer. It is a microscopic process that involves the progressive removal of cancerous tissue from the affected area. It is a highly accurate process that causes very little damage to the surrounding area. It also helps to remove the maximum amount of cancer-affected tissue and helps the surgeon determine if all the cancer cells have been removed or not.

Reconstructing The Skin After The Surgery

Though the removal of the cancer cells is the primary objective of a cancer removal surgery, reconstruction of the operated area is also something to be worried about. However, when it comes to Mohs surgery, you do not need to be worried about it. That is because the success rate of a Mohs surgery is very high, and so is the skin reconstruction following the surgery.

Your surgeon will carefully examine the cancer-affected area after the cancer has been removed. He will then determine if reconstruction is necessary or not, depending on the type of wound left after the surgery.

What to Expect Regarding Post-Surgical Marks

Secondary surgery isn’t required if the wound is small. Your doctor will allow it to heal on its own. However, care has to be taken to make sure the operated area is free from infection. The area must be kept clean and free from bacteria.

If the wound is slightly wider, it will not be allowed to heal on its own. In such a case, the wound is closed with the help of stitches. Side-to-side stitches are used so that they leave comparatively less post-surgical marks and can be removed easily. It will then be left to heal within a few days.

If the wound is large, a surgical procedure will be necessary. Tissue from a different part of the body will be extracted in order to fill the gap. This is a relatively expensive process and will also require an extended amount of time to fully heal.

In some cases, a skin flap will be required. A skin flap surgery is one in which skin from an adjacent area is extracted and is used to cover the treated area. This technique is mostly used for areas such as the nose, forehead, cheeks, scalp, eyes, and ears. When the skin flap technique is used to cover an area near the nose or cheeks, a strip of skin is removed from the central part of the forehead. This skin is then used to fill the treated area.

In certain cases, more than one of the above-mentioned techniques may be used in order to treat different types of cancer removal techniques. Studies show that four out of ten patients who are diagnosed with skin cancer develop another cancer within five years of the removal of the cancer. So, it is very important for the person to follow up and get regular check-ups.

Contact Our Office

As a respected plastic surgeon with years of experience, Dr. Haresh Yalamanchili will help reconstruct your skin after going through a cancer removal treatment. If you’re interested in learning more about the process, contact our office to schedule a consultation today.