Surgical Dermatology
SkinSmart offers state-of-the art dermatologic surgery procedures. In addition to excisional surgery for growths and lesions, we also offer MOHS micrographic surgery for prominently placed cancerous lesions on the face and chest.MOHS is an advanced treatment procedure for skin cancer that offers the highest potential for recovery—even if the skin cancer has been previously treated. With MOHS, the physician serves as surgeon, pathologist and reconstructive surgeon. It relies on the accuracy of a microscope to trace and ensure removal of skin cancer down to its roots.
This procedure allows dermatologists, fellowship trained in Mohs Surgery, to see beyond the visible disease, and to precisely identify and remove the entire tumor, leaving healthy tissue unharmed. This procedure is most often used in treating two of the most common forms of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.
The cure rate for Mohs Micrographic Surgery is the highest of all treatments for skin cancer—up to 95 percent even if other forms of treatment have failed. This procedure, the most exact and precise method of tumor removal, minimizes the chance of regrowth and lessens the potential for scarring or disfigurement.
During the procedure, Dr. Callahan removes thin sections of the skin surrounding the cancerous or precancerous lesion. These are immediately examined under a microscope. (In more common excisional biopsies, the skin is sent to an off-premises lab and results are not available for days.) If evidence of cancer is found, another thin section is removed until the margins of the area are free of suspicious cells.
Using the MOHS technique ensures that all cancerous and diseased tissue is completely removed while the maximum amount of healthy tissue is preserved. Because MOHS has the lowest recurrence rate of malignancies, it is the preferred technique for removal of aggressive or recurrent carcinomas. It also has the least impact on your appearance. As a cosmetic dermatologist, Dr. Callahan can give you the best possible aesthetic outcome. Lesions can typically be removed without a conspicuous scar, making MOHS the treatment of choice when a lesion is prominently placed.
Dr. Callahan, who is a rare fellowship-trained MOHS skin cancer surgeon, supervises all surgical procedures. She has performed over 15,000 MOHS surgeries and is recognized as a “Top Doctor” by US News and World Report.
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