If you have skin cancer, then your doctor might have told you a bit about Mohs surgery. However, you might not be too sure about how it works or why it's a good choice. To help ease your mind a bit, here is an introduction to the subject:
How does Mohs surgery work?
When Mohs surgery is performed, your doctor will basically cut very thin layers from the site of your skin cancer. After each layer is removed, they will carefully examine the skin to determine if there is any more cancer present. If there are still some cancerous cells present, they will cut another layer. This process will repeat until there is no more cancer that can be detected. Although this may sound a bit crude, this is mostly because the technique has been around since the 1930s. Since then, it has become extremely precise. Ultimately, this style of treatment has an exceptionally high success rate and causes minimal damage to the surrounding healthy tissue.
Is the surgery painful?
Anesthesia is used on the site of the cancer to make sure that you don't feel pain during the process. However, each layer does take a long time to cut and process, so you might be a bit uncomfortable during the procedure. That being said, a bit of discomfort is going to be preferable to the potential damage of your cancer spreading.
When is Mohs a good option?
Not all cancers are created equal and neither are all treatments. Some treatments are better at treating certain types of cancer, and Mohs surgery is no different. Two of the most common types of skin cancer are BCCs and SCCs. Mohs surgery has historically always been very effective at treating those two types, and continues to be effective today.
Melanomas are definitely the most deadly form of cancer, and haven't always been susceptible to Mohs surgery. However, recent advances in technique and technology ave improve the effectiveness of Mohs surgery when it comes to melanomas. Finally, you have AKs, which are not usually treated by Mohs surgery.
As you can see, Mohs is used to treat a wide variety of skin cancer types. If you have skin cancer, then there is a pretty good chance that you could benefit greatly from Mohs surgery. Contact a doctor through a site like http://www.dermsurgctr.com to help you determine which option is best for you, but be prepared for a potentially long surgical process.
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