What happens on Mohs surgery day
Skin cancer
5 min read
Dr. Simon Haverkamp, MD
Most of the day is waiting while the lab reads each layer. Here is how the morning runs and what to bring.
Mohs surgery is done in stages, under local numbing, while you are awake. We remove the visible cancer with a thin rim of skin, and while you wait with a bandage on, our lab processes that layer and I look at every edge under the microscope.
If any cancer is left at an edge, we go back and remove more, only in that spot. Most cancers are clear after one or two layers, and each round takes about an hour, so plan for a morning and sometimes a full day. Bring a snack, a book and someone to drive you if the site is near your eye.
Once the edges are clear, we close the wound, usually with stitches the same day. Expect some swelling and bruising for a few days, stitches out at one to two weeks, and a scar that keeps fading for a year. Then we see you for skin checks every few months for a while.
This note is general information, not medical advice or a diagnosis. Results vary from person to person. If a spot bleeds, grows quickly or changes color, book a visit within days.
Author
Dr. Simon Haverkamp, MD
Medically reviewed by Dr. Anneliese Ruark, MD, FAAD.
