Mohs Surgery: Precision Skin Cancer Treatment Where Every Millimetre Matters

Designed to remove cancer cells, preserve healthy tissue and protect appearance, function and confidence.

Every millimetre of skin matters more than you may think.

This is especially true when skin cancer develops in an important area such as the face, nose, eyelids, lips, ears, hands or feet – or in any area that may affect daily life. In these cases, treatment should go beyond removing cancer cells.

Scarring, appearance, function and long-term confidence are all part of a successful treatment outcome.

Mohs Surgery is a gold-standard treatment option for selected types of skin cancer. It focuses on precision through every layer of skin, helping remove cancer cells while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible.

Because every millimetre of skin can matter to your life, appearance and confidence.

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What is Mohs Surgery?

Mohs Surgery is a highly precise surgical technique for treating selected types of skin cancer.

During the procedure, the doctor removes the cancerous tissue layer by layer and examines the margins during surgery. If cancer cells are still found, more tissue is removed only from the specific area where they remain.

This meticulous approach helps clear skin cancer thoroughly while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible in suitable cases.

With intraoperative margin assessment, Mohs Surgery can achieve a cure rate of up to 97–99% and a low risk of recurrence in selected, suitable and previously untreated skin cancers, including Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) and Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC).

Results may vary depending on the type of skin cancer, its location, size, extent and the doctor’s assessment.

Mohs Surgery is especially valuable when skin cancer occurs in important areas such as the face, nose, eyelids, lips, ears, hands or feet. These areas may affect both appearance and daily function – from closing the eyes, vision, breathing, speaking and eating, to gripping, walking and movement.

For some skin cancers, treatment should therefore consider the full picture: cancer removal, healthy tissue preservation, wound closure, appearance, function and confidence after surgery.

Key Advantages of Mohs Surgery

Margin assessment during surgery
The doctor examines the tissue during the procedure to check whether any cancer cells remain. If cancer cells are detected, further tissue is removed only from that specific area.

Tissue is removed only where needed
Mohs Surgery does not remove a wide area unnecessarily from the beginning. Instead, the surgical plan is guided by margin assessment, helping reduce unnecessary loss of healthy tissue.

Helps preserve as much healthy tissue as possible
Preserving healthy tissue is particularly important in areas such as the face, nose, eyelids, lips, ears, hands and feet, or in areas where tissue is limited.

Supports better wound closure planning
Once the margins are clear of cancer cells, the doctor can plan wound closure or further care based on the location, wound size and individual treatment goals.

How is Mohs Surgery Different from Conventional Skin Cancer Surgery?

Both Mohs Surgery and conventional skin cancer surgery aim to remove cancer from the skin. The key difference lies in how the cancer margins are assessed and how much healthy tissue can be preserved.

Topic	Mohs Surgery	Conventional Skin Cancer Surgery
Treatment method	Removes tissue layer by layer	Uses wide excision, removing the cancer together with a surrounding margin of tissue
Margin assessment	Checked during surgery	Sent for examination after surgery
If cancer cells remain	Further tissue is removed only from the area where cancer cells are found	Additional surgery or further treatment may need to be considered
Wound size and tissue removal	Removes additional tissue only where needed, helping reduce unnecessary loss of healthy tissue	May require a wider surrounding margin; in some cases, the wound may be around 3–4 times larger than with Mohs Surgery
Healthy tissue preservation	Helps preserve as much healthy tissue as appropriate	May require more surrounding healthy tissue to be removed to cover the possible extent of the cancer
When surgery is in areas with limited tissue, such as the face	Helps control cancer margins while reducing the impact on scarring, appearance and function	A wider excision may create a larger wound, which can affect appearance or facial contour in some cases
Suitable for	Cases requiring high precision, important locations, unclear margins or recurrent skin cancer	Cases with clear margins, lower risk or less complexity
Cure rate in suitable, previously untreated skin cancers	Up to 97–99% in selected skin cancers, including suitable BCC and SCC.	Around 80–90% in suitable cases, including selected BCC, SCC and MIS
Recurrence risk	Low in suitable cases	Effective in many cases, with recurrence risk varying by case.

In certain areas, especially the face, nose, eyelids, lips, ears, hands or feet, every millimetre of skin can matter to scarring, appearance and function after treatment.

Mohs Surgery adds precision by checking cancer margins during surgery and removing further tissue only where needed. This helps remove cancer cells while preserving as much healthy tissue as possible in suitable cases.

Who May Be Suitable for Mohs Surgery?

Mohs Surgery is not necessary for every type or location of skin cancer. A doctor’s assessment is important, particularly in cases that require greater precision or involve more complexity, such as:

Selected skin cancers, including Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) or Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC)
Skin cancer in important areas such as the face, nose, eyelids, lips, ears, hands or feet
Cancer with unclear margins or possible spread beneath the skin beyond what is visible
Recurrent skin cancer after previous treatment
Biopsy results showing higher-risk features
Areas where preserving healthy tissue is especially important

Mohs Surgery Treatment Journey at BNH Hospital

At BNH Hospital, our specialist medical team provides personalised Mohs Surgery planning, from skin cancer assessment and surgical approach to wound closure and post-treatment care.

Consultation and assessment
A dermatologist examines the affected area and reviews relevant test results, such as a biopsy or pathology report. This helps assess the cancer type, extent, location, size and suitability for Mohs Surgery.

Personalised treatment planning
The doctor explains the recommended treatment approach and whether Mohs Surgery is appropriate for your case. The plan takes into account complete cancer removal, healthy tissue preservation, scarring and function after surgery.

Mohs Surgery procedure
On the day of surgery, local anaesthetic is used. The surgeon then removes the tissue layer by layer and examines the cancer margins during the procedure.
If cancer cells remain, the surgeon removes more tissue only from the necessary area and repeats the process until the margins are clear.

Wound closure with attention to appearance and function
Once the cancer margins are controlled, the surgeon plans wound closure based on the location, wound size, expected scar, appearance and function after treatment.

Follow-up care
After surgery, the doctor and care team provide guidance on wound care, skin care, daily activities and follow-up appointments to support recovery and long-term skin health.

Recovery After Mohs Surgery

Most patients can return home on the same day after Mohs Surgery.

The doctor and care team will provide instructions on wound care, skin care and how to look after yourself after surgery.

Recovery varies from person to person, depending on the surgical location, wound size, closure technique and overall health.

Please contact the hospital for medical advice if you experience unusual symptoms such as bleeding that does not stop, increasing pain, swelling, redness, fever or wound separation.

What Should You Prepare Before Your Consultation?

To help the doctor assess whether Mohs Surgery is suitable for your case, please prepare the following information where available:

Biopsy or pathology report
Photographs of the affected area showing the location, size and skin appearance clearly
Previous treatment history, such as surgery, radiotherapy, medication or other treatments
A list of current medications and supplements, especially those that may affect surgery or wound healing
Medical conditions and allergy history, such as diabetes, heart disease, drug allergies, allergy to local anaesthetic or wound dressing materials
Concerns you would like to discuss, such as scarring, appearance, function, recovery time or aftercare
Insurance details, including health insurance information and any documents required by your insurance provider

FAQ

1. What is Mohs Surgery?

Mohs Surgery is a precise surgical technique for skin cancer. The surgeon removes tissue layer by layer, examines the cancer margins during surgery and removes additional tissue only from areas where cancer cells are still found.

2. Who is Mohs Surgery suitable for?

Mohs Surgery may be suitable for selected skin cancer cases, especially when the cancer is in an important area, has unclear margins, has recurred after previous treatment or requires preservation of as much healthy tissue as possible. Suitability is assessed by the doctor on an individual basis.

3. How is Mohs Surgery different from conventional surgery?

Mohs Surgery checks the cancer margins during the procedure and removes more tissue only where needed. Conventional surgery often removes the cancer with a surrounding margin of tissue and sends the sample for examination afterwards.

4. Do I need a biopsy result before consultation?

A biopsy or pathology report is recommended. It helps the doctor assess the cancer type, risk level and suitability for Mohs Surgery more clearly.

Start Your Skin Cancer Care with Confidence at BNH Hospital

Our specialist team at the Dermatology & Beauty Centre provides consultation, suitability assessment and personalised Mohs Surgery treatment planning.

Consult our specialists