WHAT IS MOHS SURGERY?
The Mohs procedure is used to remove skin cancers, most frequently basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
During Mohs surgery, the skin cancer is removed under local anesthesia, and the specimen is examined with a microscope while you wait. If the specimen shows that the cancer has not been completely removed, the procedure is repeated.
Once examination of the specimen shows that all the cancer has been removed, the surgical wound is meticulously repaired with techniques designed to minimize scarring.
The advantage of Mohs over traditional surgery is that you can expect a higher cure rate and the smallest scar because the procedure is “tissue sparing”. This means that we remove the smallest amount of tissue possible. By looking at the specimen under the microscope, we can see that the cancer has been removed and that only minimal amounts of normal tissue are removed.
Our office has an experienced Mohs surgeon, and we offer several advantages.
WHO WILL PERFORM MY MOHS SURGERY?
Catherine Balestra, M.D. is our Mohs surgeon.
Dr. Balestra has extensive experience, is meticulous, and truly does amazing repairs. She usually does her own repairs during the same session as soon as the cancer is out, meaning that many times, you will not need an additional reconstruction procedure on another day. Dr. Balestra’s experience provides the best cosmetic and functional results.
TELL ME ABOUT YOUR FACILITY FOR THE MOHS PROCEDURE
We have a state-of-the-art facility, an on-site lab to process the tissue, and a friendly staff. We have a Mohs waiting room where you can watch TV and enjoy bagels and coffee between Mohs stages (i.e., while you wait for the results).
In most cases, everything is done in the office on the same day with local anesthesia.