The word "cancer" refers to collections of cells which change and exhibit abnormal growth patterns. Skin cancer is the most common form of the disease, accounting for almost half of all cancers in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. More than 1 million people in the U.S. are diagnosed with the 3 most common types of skin cancer each year — basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma — and the numbers are on the rise.
It is important to see one of our board certified dermatologists and trained Mohs surgeons right away if you have symptoms such as a mole that is changing color or shape or size, a sore that won't heal completely, a spot that bleeds or forms a scab again and again, or red scaly bumps that persist.
What is Mohs Surgery?
Named after Frederic Mohs, the surgeon who developed the technique in the late 1930's, Mohs surgery is an outpatient form of excisional surgery which can effectively remove most skin cancers one layer at a time. After each layer is removed, it is examined under a microscope to determine whether residual cancer remains in the patient's skin and, if present, determine the location. The result is: 1) the removal of as little normal tissue as possible, and 2) the highest possibility for curing the cancer.