At North County Dermatology Center in Encinitas, CA, Dr. David Thomas, Dr. Margaret Hobson Dupree, and Dr. Erin Storie offer the most effective skin cancer treatment, Mohs surgery, which preserves the highest amount of healthy tissue. A cancer diagnosis can be hard, especially if you have one of the two most common skin cancers: basal cell or squamous cell carcinomas.
More About Mohs Surgery
Mohs surgery has the highest cure rate of up to 99% on initial treatment and 94% in previously treated cases. The efficiency of Mohs surgery extends beyond results, with treatment being completed in a single visit, along with lab work on the spot, and tracing tumor margins with a continuous microscopic control for precision, to maximize healthy skin tissue spared. A local anesthetic allows your Encinitas physician to talk you through the procedure, keeping you updated every step of the way.
What's the exact procedure?
- After the initial biopsy, your surgeon will examine the cancerous growth and administer a local anesthetic.
- A thin top layer of tissue is removed and analyzed microscopically in the lab as a map is drawn out. If there are more cancer cells, they are marked and your physician will update you, before proceeding with a second layer removal with a repeat of the microscopic lab analysis.
- The process is repeated as the area removed is incrementally reduced, until all cancer cells are eliminated. Depending on the size of the wound, it may be left to heal by itself, sutured, or reconstructed with a skin graft.
Need a consultation?
If you see possible signs of melanoma, pigmented areas or growths on the skin, head over to the North County Dermatology Center in Encinitas, CA, and get it checked soon. To book an appointment call (760) 230-2805 or visit https://www.northcountyderm.com/ to learn more about how Mohs surgery can help save your skin.