What is Mohs Surgery?
Mohs micrographic surgery is a revolutionary type of surgery used to diagnose and treat skin cancer. During Mohs surgery, skin cells are removed one layer at a time and examined under a microscope to check for cancerous cells. The process is continued until noncancerous cells are found.
How Mohs Surgery Is Used
Mohs surgery can be used to diagnose and treat skin cancers, including squamous cell carcinoma, basal cell carcinoma, and melanoma.
What to Do Before Mohs Surgery
On the day of your Mohs surgery, make sure to eat your meals normally and take your usual medications. Typically blood thinners do not need to be discontinued. Mohs surgery usually doesn’t require sedation, but you may want to bring someone with you who can drive you home afterward. The surgery make take several hours or the entire day depending on the extent of your skin cancer.
Recovery From Mohs Surgery
Recovery from Mohs surgery is fast, usually taking about two weeks. You may be able to return to work the day after your Mohs surgery. As you recover, you should rest and avoid any heavy activity or strenuous exercise. Pain medication is usually not needed, but you may feel some sensitivity around the surgical area for a few days after your procedure.
How Mohs Surgery Compares To Conventional Excision Surgery
Mohs surgery offers many important benefits when compared to conventional excision surgery because Mohs surgery is often more:
- Effective, boasting a success rate of 99% for initial cases of skin cancer and 94% for recurrent cases
- Cosmetically pleasing, because only a minimal amount of tissue is removed, so you will have little to no scarring
- Comfortable, usually requiring only local anesthesia because it is far less invasive than conventional excision
When You Should Call Your Dermatologist
Complications from Mohs surgery are rare, but they do happen. Diabetes and other chronic diseases can cause delayed healing and other problems. You should call your dermatologist if:
- You develop a fever, because this could be a sign of infection
- The surgical area is not healing properly
- You are experiencing pain, which is increasing
Want To Know More?
To discover more about Mohs surgery and how it can help you, call our providers Dr. Grace Chung, Dr. Kenneth Herman, Dr. Christina Patrone, PA Kehua Li, M.D, Anna Ng or NP Shelly Schneider at Premier Dermatology in Haddon Heights, NJ. Call (856) 853-0900 to schedule an appointment today.
All of our on-site Mohs Micrographic surgery is performed by Dr. Kehua Li.
Kehua Li, M.D.
- Board Certified in Dermatology
- Board Certified in Dermatopathology
- Board Certified in Mohs Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery
- Fellow of American Academy of Dermatology
- Fellow of American Society for Mohs Surgery
- Clinical Associate Professor of Dermatology at Thomas Jefferson University
- Former Mohs Surgeon at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
- Past President, North American Chinese Dermatology Association
Dr. Kehua Li’s diverse background includes residency in general surgery and residency with specialization in Dermatology.
Dr. Li completed his internship in general surgery at Washington Hospital Center, residency in dermatology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he served as Chief Resident, and He completed a dermatopathology fellowship at University of Colorado.
Dr. Li’s research efforts led him to publish over 100 original peer-reviewed articles in prestigious journals, including Nature Genetics, Journal of Clinical Investigation, and Journal of Investigative Dermatology, and published chapters in Dermatology textbooks as well.
He was awarded twice the Dermatology Foundation Fellowship and Physician Career Development Award in “Recognition of the Contribution Made to Expanded Knowledge in the Field of Dermatology”.
An esteemed member of the community, Dr. Li has been voted a “Top Doctor and Mohs Surgeon” numerous times in prestigious Castle Connolly, South Jersey magazine, BeWellPhilly magazine, and Philadelphia magazine and U.S. News. In addition to performing Mohs at Premier Dermatology he also has his own practice Advanced Dermatology in Sewell, NJ.