Skin cancer statistics are sobering. Each year in this country, more than 5.4 million non-melanoma skin cancers are treated. Melanoma, the deadliest form of the disease, will claim nearly 10,000 lives in 2017. Yet the prognosis for most skin cancers is very good, with early detection and premier treatment. In many cases, Mohs micrographic surgery procedure is the best choice for patients in NY for its high cure rate.

The Mohs difference

Most traditional skin cancer removal techniques involve excising (cutting away), freezing, or burning the lesion. A generous area around the lesion is also taken, in an attempt to get all the cancer cells. While an experienced surgeon may have good success, the method has an element of guesswork, and results in a significant wound.

Mohs is a precise, scientific approach that takes place in one office visit. The doctor removes a layer of the lesion, one cell deep. Margins are examined under a microscope with a special dye that helps to make cancer cells visible. The process is repeated as many times as necessary, until no further cancer cells are detected.

Benefits of Mohs

• Only local anesthesia is required.
• There is no tense period of waiting for biopsy results. You know the success of the procedure when you leave the office.
• Mohs does not harm healthy tissues surrounding the lesion. That means a smaller wound, faster healing, and less scarring.
• Highest cure rate – over 99 percent for some basal and squamous cell carcinomas.
• Now utilized for some melanomas.
• Reduced risk of treated lesion recurring.

Dr. Ariel Ostad’s surgical facility is certified by the AAAASF (American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities), and fully equipped for the Mohs micrographic procedure. The doctor is nationally recognized for his expertise in this specialized technique. He frequently lectures on Mohs, and has provided input for medical textbooks and dermatology journals.

Trust your health to Dr. Ostad’s qualified care. Call (212) 517-7900.