MOHS surgery, also called MOHS micrographic surgery, is a surprisingly old technique for treating basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas, which are the most common types of skin cancer. Originally developed in the 1930s, it has a cure rate of around 98 percent. If you have skin cancer, you want a MOHS surgeon who is highly skilled, qualified and experienced. Look no further than Dr. Rao at Rao Dermatology.
What Does MOHS Surgery Involve?
MOHS surgery is an outpatient procedure. The surgeon removes the visible tumor along with a margin of apparently healthy tissue. The tissue is then analyzed to look for any remaining cancer cells. If any are found, our surgeon will carefully note their location and remove another layer of tissue for analysis. Dr. Rao continues the process until all of the tissue samples are cancer-free.
What are the Benefits of MOHS Surgery?
The meticulousness of the procedure reduces the chances of the surgeon missing any cancer cells. In addition, since the samples are examined during the procedure, the patient may go home knowing they no longer have cancer.
By contrast, a patient who has had a typical excision procedure generally has to sweat for a couple of weeks while the surgeon analyzes their tumor in a lab. In addition, since the surgeon had to guess where the cancer began and ended, they might have missed some cancer cells, and that means the patient might have to return for another procedure. This isn’t the case with MOHS surgery.
How Do You Find a MOHS Surgeon?
In many cases, a patient’s dermatologist would refer them to a MOHS surgeon. However, at Rao Dermatology, there is no need for such a referral. Dr. Rao, our founder and medical director, is a proud affiliate member of The American Society for MOHS Surgery. You can be sure you are in good hands under his care.
Rao Dermatology has offices in Manhattan, Atlantic Highlands, Woodbridge, Fresno and Hanford. During a consultation with Dr. Rao and his team, you can learn more about why he is such a well-respected MOHS surgeon. Contact us today to schedule an appointment with our renowned MOHS surgeon.
