Asked by Anonymous - Just Had Moh's Surgery Done - Details On It : So I just had the Moh's Surgery Procedure done on my face, and I figured these details might help others understand it.   Here are the steps that get done and also how long it takes for the doctor to complete this surgery. For me it was a basal cell skin cancer, but it really doesn't matter as they do the moh's procedure on the face also for Squamous Cell or basal cell skin cancer etc.   This is typically done in the dermatologist office where you get checkups done, you don't normally go to a different location. 1) First they will put several shots in to numb the area. 2) The doctor / surgeon will then cut a circular area out.  This is really quick, mine took less then 1 minute. 3)  They then will use a device to burn the area so that bleeding is stopped, you wont feel it at all, but you will smell burnt skin.  They bandage the area and you go sit in the waiting room. 4) After about 30 minutes they call you back in. The same doctor that did the cutting also is trained to evaluate it like a pathologist would, to see if the cancer was completely removed.  It often takes 1 or 2 tries, but the doctor told me almost everyone is 3 tries or less.  For me it took them 2 tries so I went back in a 2nd time to get 3 or 4 more novocaine (or procaine) shots, and you really dont feel these at all because you are still numb from the first round. 5)  The doctor told me there is a little bit left, but said this should be done after this 2nd time, which was good to hear.  Again it was quick, followed by burning to stop bleeding, followed by bandage, and back to waiting room. 6) After another 30 minutes they called me back in and said it was all removed.  The surgeon doctor then put stitches in to close it up.  They bandage it and you are done. 7) They then tell you to keep it bandaged for 7 days then the stitches can come out.  They also tell you to put some vaseline on it every day and cover it because moist makes the scarring less.  They also tell you that its stitched and raised up intentionally because scars sink as they heal, so its intentionally raised when they stitch it so it looks better long term. For me it was about 3 hours I was in there from start to finish.  If the moh's surgery is completed in just 1 step instead of 2 like I had, you would probably be out an hour earlier.

Anonymous Says: How long did it take them during that burning the wound?

Anonymous Says: It goes pretty fast, maybe a minute or so. For me the longest part of the surgery was the stitches they put in and of course the waiting in between all that stuff above, otherwise the doctor does his work pretty quickly.

Dennis Says: Actually I was surprised how long the scar was because the area they cut out was pretty small.  The doctor explained that scenario where they cant stitch shut a circle so it must be made into a  football shape before they stitch it, so the rule of thumb is the scar is 3 times the length of the circle they cut out.

Anonymous Says: The scar from mohs surgery lasted about 6 months for me. Its still there slightly of course but it was about 1-2 months of getting past the "leaking scar" and then several months of flattening out and fading.

Add your reply below ...