What Is Mohs Micrographic Surgery

Mohs surgery is a technique that removes certain types of skin cancer – most commonly basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) – one layer at a time. After each layer is removed, it’s examined under a microscope to check for cancer cells. This process repeats until no cancer cells are detected.

Mohs surgery is incredibly effective (with cure rates up to 99% for BCC), and it’s particularly valuable in areas where every millimetre of tissue matters, such as around the eyes, nose and mouth – areas that are so functionally and cosmetically important.

What Happens After Mohs?

Once the cancer has been removed, the area will need to be repaired, a process often described as “reconstruction". This is where the skills of an Oculoplastic and Maxillofacial Reconstructive Surgeons are so vital. Every patient and every case is different. That’s one of the reasons I love this kind of work – it’s a blend of precision, creative problem-solving and respect for what the face needs to function naturally.

Why Oculoplastic Surgery Makes a Difference

As an Ophthalmic, Oculoplastic Reconstructive and Cosmetic Surgeon, I have dual training in ophthalmology and plastic surgery. I understand the eye and its surrounding structures not just anatomically, functionally and aesthetically. I have also been performing Mohs surgery for more than a decade and am the senior Mohs surgeon for the three counties of Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Gloucestershire.

You wouldn’t believe how many subtle movements happen in and around the eyelids when we blink, squint, smile and even sleep. Preserving those and preventing issues like dry eye, ectropion (eyelid evertion), or impaired blinking is really important but so too is to appearance following surgery. I strive to achieve the best cosmetic outcomes to my patients to restore their confidence to live their lives without the constant reminder of having had cancer.

What makes me unique is that I am trained and accredited to undertake both the Mohs excision procedure and the reconstructive surgery in one visit. If you’ve been referred for skin cancer surgery and are considering Mohs surgery, here is a QR code to access the British Association of Dermatologists patient information leaflet.