Are Moles a Health Concern?
Moles are common skin lesions, and most are harmless. But moles can change, too, and sometimes those changes are concerning. Learn more about mole types, including when they might increase your skin cancer risk.
The Clear Advantages of Mohs Surgery
Nearly 10,000 Americans are diagnosed with skin cancer each and every day, making it the most common type of cancer in the country. If you’ve been diagnosed with basal or squamous cell carcinoma, Mohs micrographic surgery offers the highest success rate for a full recovery.
At Manhattan Dermatology in New York City, our board-certified dermatologists use this precise surgical technique at our state-of-the-art Murray Hill and Midtown East facilities.
To help you understand why Mohs surgery remains the gold standard in treating skin cancer, take a moment to learn more about the procedure and the advantages it offers.
Understanding Mohs surgery
Mohs micrographic surgery is an advanced surgical technique that preserves your healthy tissue while removing any cancerous tissue. We do this by excising the cancerous portions one precise thin layer at a time.
After we remove a layer, we prepare it for study in our on-site laboratory, examining the tissue under a microscope. This allows us to make an exact map of your skin cancer, which often extends down into the deeper layers of your skin.
We repeat this procedure until all cancer cells have been identified and removed, leaving you with only healthy skin tissue. While the procedure can take time, your patience is rewarded with cancer-free skin and reduced scarring.
The advantages of Mohs surgery
Mohs surgery is a complex surgical technique that requires a skilled, specially trained dermatologist. At Manhattan Dermatology, Wendy Long Mitchell, MD, and Vicki J. Levine, MD, specialize in Mohs surgery.
Compared to other types of surgery, Mohs surgery offers several clear advantages. Here’s a closer look at the top advantages of this type of surgery:
No hospital stay required
The goal of any cancer treatment is to leave you cancer-free, but we prefer to treat you outside of a hospital setting when possible. Outpatient Mohs surgery takes place in our comfortable offices, where you can text, read, or rest while you wait between layers.
Unparalleled cure rates
Mohs surgery offers an impressive 99% cure rate for newly diagnosed skin cancers. And if you’ve been diagnosed with skin cancer again, Mohs surgery is the top-of-the-line approach to eradicating your cancer with a 94% cure rate for recurring cancers.
Reduced scarring
During Mohs surgery, we work to remove all cancer tissues while preserving as much healthy skin tissue as possible. This gives you the best cosmetic results, as you’re left with a smaller scar compared to traditional alternatives.
Because of the reduced scarring, this treatment is an excellent option for skin cancers that appear in highly visible locations, like your face, neck, and head.
No waiting and wondering
Traditional excision surgery involves sending the removed tissue to an outside lab and waiting for results. During this time, you’re left wondering whether the surgery was successful and if you still have cancerous tissue.
Mohs surgery takes the waiting and wondering out of the process. We examine each layer of skin as it’s removed so you leave the office knowing the facts about your skin cancer and with healthy, cancer-free skin.
Learn more about the benefits of Mohs surgery and whether it’s right for you by calling Manhattan Dermatology in Murray Hill or Midtown East, Manhattan. You may also use our online booking tool to schedule an appointment at your convenience.
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