What’s recovery like for Mohs surgery?

Mohs surgery is typically accomplished within a single day. You should be able to go home right after the procedure. Recovery can take a bit longer, depending on how much tissue was removed and how quickly you heal.

Only very thin layers of skin and tissue are removed at a time during Mohs surgery, but multiple layers removed could add up to a sizeable wound.

For smaller surgical wounds, your surgeon may be able to leave the area open to heal on its own in time. However, slightly larger wounds may require stitches.

In some cases, the wounds left after Mohs surgery are large enough that they require some form of reconstructive surgery. When needed, reconstruction may happen anywhere from the day after your Mohs surgery to a month later.

Keep in mind that the ultimate goal is to obliterate all cancerous tissue. Reconstruction and full healing can take up to a year after the procedure.