How long does Mohs surgery take to work for basal cell carcinoma?

The surgeon removes a thin layer and examines it under a microscope before deciding whether another layer is needed. This process continues until the examined edges show no remaining cancer cells. The treatment decision is therefore made on the day of surgery, rather than after waiting for a later scan. The operation may take longer when several layers are needed or when reconstruction is planned.

After clearance, the skin does not look fully healed immediately. Tenderness, swelling, bruising, crusting, or a visible scar can change as the wound repairs. Stitches may remain for a period chosen by the surgeon, and scar colour and texture can keep settling for months. Mohs confirms removal of the tissue examined; it does not make normal healing happen instantly.

Follow the written dressing instructions, keep the area protected from rubbing, and take only the pain relief recommended for you. Avoid strenuous activity when it could pull on the wound or cause bleeding. Keep follow-up appointments so the team can check the repair and remove stitches if needed. Once the wound has closed, ask when silicone, massage, or sun protection is suitable for the scar.

Your dermatologist may also recommend regular skin checks because a person who has had one skin cancer can develop another. Examine the treated site and surrounding skin for a new growth, persistent scab, or change that does not settle.

Contact the surgical team promptly if bleeding continues despite firm pressure, the wound opens, pain is worsening rather than easing, or redness and warmth spread outward. Pus-like drainage, fever, or a rapidly increasing swelling also needs medical assessment. Seek urgent help for heavy bleeding, faintness, or trouble breathing. Do not wait for a routine scar review when these changes appear.

Ask which type of repair was used, when the dressing should be changed, how long stitches are expected to stay, and which activities to pause. Clarify how the tissue result will be communicated, what scar changes are expected, and when your next skin examination should occur.