The Mohs Technique Explained for Akron Patients

Every year, over three million people in the United States receive a skin cancer diagnosis. The good news is, caught soon enough, treatment can yield a nearly 99% success rate.

Removing cancer, layer by layer

Of the many types of skin cancer treatments available, one of the most effective is Mohs micrographic surgery, also known as the Mohs technique. Developed in 1938 by Dr. Frederic Mohs, it involves removing very thin layers of skin and examining each layer for signs of cancer. If signs appear, the surgeon removes another layer of skin and tests it for signs of cancer. This process continues until the skin cancer no longer remains.The procedure typically takes four hours or less. 

Specially trained surgeons use the Mohs technique to treat basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, melanomas, and other rarer types of skin cancer.

Straightforward procedure

Mohs technique surgery is fairly straightforward. It begins with the realization that skin cancer could reach beyond the visible cells itself and that the surgery must remove the visible skin cancer. The surgeon then removes a layer of skin and divides it into sections, which he or she color codes and maps. The surgeon then examines each section microscopically to see if any cancer remains. This examination may take up to an hour to complete. If cancer remains, the surgeon removes another layer of skin from the area showing the remaining cancer and examines it again. This process continues until no cancer remains at the site.

Allied Dermatology’s Akron office performs Mohs surgery

Akron-Cleveland patients of Allied Dermatology and Skin Surgery enjoy ready access to our experienced Mohs surgeons. The Mohs technique typically only requires a single treatment, and there is minimal destruction of healthy tissue. In most cases, reconstructive surgery, if needed, can be performed on the same day. Contact us to get more information on our skin cancer treatments.