Mohs Surgery
Skin cancer impacts millions of people every year in the U.S. Fortunately, treatments like Mohs surgery are very effective at stopping the spread of skin cancer. The downside is that Mohs surgery does require tissue and skin removal that can impact the appearance of the patient. The damage to the patient’s appearance can be reduced with the help of a plastic surgeon. Dr. Aleksandr Shteynberg at Vantage Plastic Surgery offers Mohs surgery for skin cancer with cosmetic reconstruction of the surgical site at our clinics in NYC.
What Is Mohs Surgery?
Mohs surgery is considered the gold standard of skin cancer treatment. This method has been used for many decades and still is the best option for removing all the skin cancer cells from the affected area. The surgery removes the visible skin cancer lesion, and then begins removing the outer layer of skin cells one layer at a time. Each layer is examined under a microscope to see if the sample contains any cancer cells. If any cancer cells are present, another layer is removed until there are no cancer cells present. This can require several or even dozens of tissue layers removed to ensure all the cancer is gone.
Facial Reconstruction After Mohs Surgery
Any general surgeon or dermatologist can perform Mohs surgery, but these other medical specialists are not experts at facial reconstruction. Many skin cancer lesions occur on the face, and Mohs surgery can leave a significant area of missing tissue, causing a facial deformity. Dr. Aleksandr Shteynberg uses his skills as a plastic and reconstructive surgeon to ensure the skin cancer is removed and that the facial aesthetics are restored. Fat and skin grafting can be used to reshape the area. If the skin cancer was on a feature like the nose or ear, the feature may require cartilage grafting and reconstruction for function and aesthetics.
Mohs surgery and plastic surgery can go hand-in-hand to resolve the cancer concern and restore the appearance of the skin. If you have been diagnosed with skin cancer and Mohs surgery is recommended, consider the benefits of having an experienced plastic and reconstructive surgeon perform your procedure. Dr. Aleksandr Shteynberg is a double board certified plastic surgeon who is experienced in performing Mohs surgery and facial reconstruction. Contact us at Vantage Plastic Surgery to book your appointment for a Mohs surgery consultation at our clinic in Manhattan or Brooklyn.