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Mohs Surgery Scars

Mohs Surgery is a special type of surgical technique whereby the surgeon removes one layer of skin at a time and studies the tissue and the margins of the tissue for cancer cells.  This process is repeated until cancer cells are no longer found, at which point, the surgery is ended.2.  For certain types of skin cancer, Mohs surgery has proven to be extremely effective. According to a variety of studies, Mohs surgery can produce a cure rate of up to 99% for specific types of cancerous tumors. However, Mohs surgery is not used to remove all skin cancers.  In the past, the high cost associated with Mohs surgery limited the number of health providers who would cover the costs so it was used sparingly. Currently, one in 5 skin cancers are now treated using Mohs surgery technique and that number is likely to improve as insurance companies recognize the benefit of people being cured from skin cancer at such a high rate with this technique.1.

Typically, Mohs surgery is used on the areas of the body, such as the face, hands and feet that would most benefit from the removal of the smallest amount of tissue. Other instances for requiring Mohs surgery include removing lesions that have returned following previous surgeries or where the concern for metastasizing is great.

Thankfully, due to the precise incisions of Mohs surgery, the patient will be less susceptible to noticeable scarring as compared with other similar skin cancer surgeries depending on the size and depth of the surgery site. However, because there is an incision, there will typically be a scar. While all scars partially heal naturally over time, most people choose to use a scar management treatment gel, cream, or pad to either help speed up the healing process or to help further diminish the size and color of their scar.

While there are many scar management treatments to choose from, most studies agree that a silicone scar treatment and management gel is the best and most cost-effective method to help reduce the appearance of scars such as Mohs surgery scars.  Silicone gel and sheeting are effective methods to manage scars.  The nice thing about using silicone gel is that it is invisible once it dries and it will form a barrier to protect the site from debris, environmental toxins, moisture and bacteria. It is smooth to touch, which will allow you to apply sun screen to the area as well as make-up.  Silicone gel will also keep the area moist, which will help to minimize the redness and itching associated with the natural healing process when recovering from Mohs surgery. 

References

• David G. Brodland, MD: http://www.skincancer.org/skin-cancer-information/mohs-surgery/mohs-surgery-saving-face
• Merritt BG, Lee NY, Brodland DG, Zitelli JA, Cook J. The safety of Mohs surgery: A prospective multicenter cohort study. J Am Acad Dermatol 2012 Aug 11. [Epub ahead of print]