Mohs Reconstruction

Skin cancer can be a devastating diagnosis, and even more so when the cancer is found on the face. Mohs surgery may result in a large hole in the skin. Dr. Hu is highly skilled at reconstructing these defects by artfully and meticulously rearranging nearby skin and tissue, with the ultimate goal of recreating the normal, preexisting facial structures and boundaries. If necessary, such as in the case of substantial defects, Dr. Hu can also rotate and transpose tissue from other parts of the face to cover these areas. These may require multiple, staged procedures. Once fully healed, the ultimate results will appear natural and maintain normal function.

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How It Works

Prior to your consultation, Dr. Hu will have discussed your case with the Mohs surgeon that referred you. Dr. Hu will begin your consultation by listening to your concerns and goals.
Next, Dr. Hu will take a full health history and perform a complete examination of your face, paying particular attention to the area surrounding the defect. With this information, Dr. Hu will create a tailored plan to help you achieve your goals. She will design what is called a ‘flap’, which entails moving neighboring skin and soft tissue to cover what is missing in the defect. Often, this will involve elaborate rotations or transpositions with multiple incisions that are planned along the borders of the facial subunits and wrinkles. This allows the scars to hide in these natural creases.
Finally, Dr. Hu and her clinical team will discuss the details of the surgery, pricing, how to plan for it, and what to expect after.
Mohs reconstruction is performed on-site in a state-of-the-art private operating suite at AIREM. The procedure can be performed awake with just local anesthetic or under sedation, which is administered by a board-certified anesthesiologist. This depends on the extent of the surgery. The procedure can be as short as 30 minutes or as long as 2 hours. If you undergo sedation, you will recover in a recovery room and will need a family member or friend to escort you back home later that day.

Recovery Process

You will need to plan for time to recover, which varies by individual, but is usually around one to two weeks. There may be associated swelling or bruising around the areas that were mobilized.
On day 7, all sutures will be removed. Most of the swelling will have resolved. However, this varies depending on the extent of the procedure and what parts of the face were affected.
During this time, the scars will appear a faint pink and continue to fade into a fine, thin line over the ensuing weeks to months. Final results will be visible after 6 months of healing.