Mohs Surgery in Covington

Name: Benson Dermatology
Address: 180 N 5th St, Ponchatoula, LA, 70454, US
Telephone: (985) 370-7546

Our fellowship-trained board-certified dermatologist Dr. Nick Frank performs Mohs surgery to treat a variety of skin cancer patients. The goal of this skin cancer treatment is to cut away as much cancer tissue as possible while leaving healthy skin around it untouched. Once a layer of cancerous tissue has been removed, Dr. Frank will look under a microscope at each layer until there is no more cancer detected. This layer-by-layer skin cancer surgery will leave you with the comfort of knowing that the roots of the cancer are gone without requiring waiting for a lab pathology analysis.

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The History of Mohs Surgery

Frederick Mohs was the first doctor to both invent and perform the procedure, which is why it bears his name. Mohs surgery is considered the gold standard for treating squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma and can even be used for treating other skin cancers surgically with great results.

Should I Have Mohs Surgery?

There are four primary reasons why skin cancer patients are recommended Mohs surgery around Covington:

1) The cancerous tissue area is fast-growing and large.

2) The skin cancer is likely to reoccur if another treatment is used instead of Mohs surgery.

3) The cancerous tissue has uneven edges.

4) The cancer is localized on a part of the body where it’s vital to keep as much skin as possible, such as a patient’s face and other cosmetically-important areas.

How Mohs Surgery Is Performed?

At Benson Dermatology, our fellowship-trained board-certified Mohs surgeon performs skin cancer surgeries in a room with associated laboratory capacities so that your skin tissue can be quickly analyzed. Each Mohs surgery is expected to last between 2-4 hours on average, though the total length of time will always vary among patients.

Once the surgical area has been sterilized, it will then be marked and made numb. With a scalpel or similar medical instrument, your local Mohs surgeon will remove your visible cancer and place a temporary bandage on your skin. The removed tissue will be analyzed in the same office with a microscope to see if there’s cancer present in any of your skin’s lower layers. If there is cancer present, more skin will be removed. This procedure is repeated again and again until no cancer appears under the lab’s microscope. The lengthiest part of the process is the careful inspection of each layer of skin tissue for cancer cells.

What to Do After Mohs Surgery

Patients who have undergone Mohs surgery in Covington will be provided post-treatment instructions for how to best take care of their surgical site. Your Mohs surgeon will typically have chosen one of the following methods to finish your procedure:

make a temporary closing of the area to perform reconstruction at a later date
utilize a skin graft to cover the surgical area
fold a nearby flap of skin over the incision
stitch the wound closed
let the incision heal without intervention

It’s important to follow up with your local dermatologist around Covington to make sure that your recovery is going smoothly. You might have swelling, bleeding, aching, soreness, or other discomforts for a short period of time following your Mohs procedure.

Can Skin Cancer Removed with Mohs Surgery Come Back?

Getting Mohs surgery in Louisiana is one of the best ways to make sure that your skin cancer does not return. The resolution rate for squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas following Mohs surgery is 99%, and on the 1% chance that your skin cancer returns, Mohs surgery has a 95% success rate. Schedule regular checkups with your local board-certified dermatologist to keep an eye out for any new cancer growths. Getting checked for skin cancer twice a year is recommended for most patients who have had Mohs surgery around Covington, though your dermatologist will set an appropriate skin cancer screening schedule for your particular situation.

Getting Mohs Surgery in Covington

If you’re located in or around the Covington area, reach out to Benson Dermatology via email or phone to learn more about Mohs surgery or to schedule your skin cancer screening today!

Request An Appointment

Give us a call or fill out the form below, and we will be in touch to finish scheduling your appointment! Your journey to clearer, healthier, more radiant skin starts here.

(985) 370-7546