Mohs Micrographic Surgery to Remove Facial Skin Cancers with Minimal Scarring
Developed by Dr. Frederick Mohs in the 1930s, Mohs micrographic surgery has come to be accepted as the single most effective technique for removing Basal Cell Carcinomas and Squamous Cell Carcinomas (BCCs and SCCs), the two most common skin cancers.
During a Mohs procedure, the surgeon removes a small section of the cancer at a time. The sample is reviewed under a microscope at the time of surgery, eliminating the need to "estimate" how far out or deep the roots of the skin cancer go. If the edges of the sample are cancer-free, the surgery is ended. If not, more tissue is removed from the area where the cancer cells were found, and the procedure is repeated until all the edges of the final tissue sample examined are clear of cancer.
Dr. Harp studied Mohs Surgery in residency under Dr. Daniel Berg and followed up with training by renowned Mohs experts Dr. Claire Haycox, and Drs. Kenneth and Leslie Gross, authors of the textbooks Fundamentals and Techniques of Mohs Surgery, and Mohs Surgery - Beyond the Fundamentals. Dr. Harp prides herself on her excellent surgical skills and she works hard to make sure that any surgical scars are as aesthetically pleasing as possible.