Plastic Surgery in Thailand
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What is Mohs Surgery
Mohs Surgery, also known as Mohs Micrographic Surgery, is a specialized surgical technique for treating certain types of advanced skin cancer. It aims to preserve as much healthy tissue as possible while removing the layers of malignant tumor, especially in areas where appearance or function is critical, such as the face, nose, lips, eyelids, and ears. Each layer of the tumour/skin is analyzed under a microscope, and if cancer cells are found at the edge, more tissue will be carefully removed from those specific areas. This process is repeated until no malignant cells remain.
When is Moh’s Surgery needed?
Mohs surgery is performed for the two most common forms of skin cancer—Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) and Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC). It may also be applied to other types, such as certainmelanomas, dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans, microcystic adnexal carcinoma, sebaceous carcinoma, and extramammary Paget disease.
How is Mohs Surgery Performed?
- Layer-by-layer removal: After numbing the skin around the cancerous area, the surgeon will remove only the part of the tumor that can be seen, along with a thin layer of nearby tissue, and preserve as much healthy skin as possible.
- Immediate microscopic examination: The removed tissue will be examined in real-time under a microscope to detect cancer cells.
- Repeat until all cancer cells are removed: If cancer cells are detected at the edge of the tissue, the surgeon will remove additional tissue only from the affected area, minimizing the removal of healthy tissue.
- Wound repair: Once it is confirmed that no cancer cells remain, the wound is closed properly. In some cases, the wound is repaired using a skin graft, which involves taking tissue from another part of the body, or a skin flap, which uses tissue from the surrounding area. At times, a combination of these methods is applied to achieve the best outcome. For more complex situations—such as unexpectedly large tumours or cancers near the eye—closure may require the expertise of a specialist surgeon, such as a facial plastic surgeon or an oculoplastic surgeon.
What are the Key Benefits of Mohs Surgery?
- Highest cure rate for certain skin cancers (>99% in some reports)
- Preserves the maximum amount of healthy tissue
- Ideal for recurrent cancers or cancers in complex locations
- Provides up to a 94% cure rate for recurrent skin cancer cases
- Ideal for removing skin cancer in sensitive areas such as the face, eyes, ears, nose, throat, fingers, toes, and genitals.
- Utilizes a minimally invasive surgery (MIS) approach, involving small incisions that cause less pain, promote faster healing, and result in minimal scarring.
After the Procedure
Following Mohs surgery, most patients experience mild to moderate discomfort that usually improves within a few days and can often be managed with pain control drugs. The patient will receive antibiotics to prevent secondary bacterial infection for 7-10 days, and a follow-up appointment will be scheduled for wound care.
Recovery and Outcome
Scars from Mohs surgery generally take about 12 to 18 months to fade completely. The scar will gradually improve. If you are concerned about the final look of your scar, you may consult your surgeon to explore options for scar revision.
For more information, please contact
Plastic Surgery Center, Vejthani International Hospital
Call: (+66)2-734-0000 Ext. 1197
English Hotline: (+66)85-223-8888
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