What should you know about Mohs and melanoma?

Mohs removes a visible area in stages and checks each stage before taking more tissue. This can help conserve healthy skin when a tumour is in a sensitive or cosmetically important area. For many melanomas, standard surgical excision remains the usual approach because the tumour needs assessment of its depth and margins in a planned specimen. The report may guide whether a wider operation or sentinel lymph node biopsy is appropriate.

Melanoma is a cancer of pigment-producing cells. A suspicious changing mark needs examination and tissue diagnosis; appearance alone cannot establish the diagnosis.

Ask for the pathology report and confirm whether the diagnosis is melanoma, the measured depth, and whether the edges of the specimen are clear. Take photographs of the original area if available, list medicines that affect bleeding, and tell the surgeon about previous procedures or immune problems. Discuss [Melanoma](/conditions/melanoma/), [Surgical Excision](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/excisional-surgery/) and [Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy](/treatments/diagnostics-and-staging/sentinel-lymph-node-biopsy/) as relevant options.

Arrange prompt dermatology review for a mark that changes in size, shape or colour, bleeds, crusts, or develops persistent itch. After surgery, contact the treating team urgently for bleeding that does not settle with firm pressure, rapidly increasing swelling, spreading redness, fever, worsening pain, or wound separation. New lumps, unexplained neurological symptoms or persistent breathlessness also need medical assessment rather than watchful waiting.

Which operation fits this melanoma and why? How will the specimen margins and depth be assessed? Is a sentinel lymph node biopsy being considered? What reconstruction, wound care and follow-up will I need?