Your Recovery – Return To Health And A Healthy Lifestyle

Immediately after surgery and during the recovery period, there will often be the sensation of tightness as well as soreness of the treated area. The area can also become very swollen and bruised depending on the extent of involvement. A variable degree of transient numbness of the area is generally expected due to nerve involvement, but complete and permanent loss of nerve function is rare. The incision line(s) typically improve in appearance over the first three to six months postoperatively, especially if exposure to the sun is avoided. Because the Mohs surgeon removes only the diseased tissue and as little healthy tissue as possible, the extent of scarring (which normally occurs after any surgery) is kept to a minimum.

It is important that patients take every precaution following Mohs micrographic surgery for skin cancer. In particular, adhering to a strict sun avoidance program helps to reduce the risk of further skin cancers. It is also important that patients be carefully monitored on a regular basis by their primary dermatologist after surgery. Research has shown that if there is a recurrence of skin cancer, it usually occurs within the first year. Furthermore, a significant percentage of patients who develop one skin cancer will get another within the next five years. Prevention and early detection are key.