Mohs surgery is a special surgical procedure which is used to treat and hopefully cure skin cancer patients. The surgery involves removing multiple layers of skin, which means that patients may have an open wound or a skin graft that needs to be bandaged following the surgery. If you are about to undergo this procedure, your doctor will likely provide you with some advice, but here are four additional tips that should help you stay on top of the situation.
Do Not Remove the Bandage for 24 Hours
In the immediate aftermath of the surgery, you will likely need to keep pressure on the affected area to prevent bleeding. But the bandage also provides additional benefits as well, namely making sure that the open wound stays clean and moist.
Maintain Moisture After the Bandage Comes Off
After the bandage is removed, your goal is to keep the wound moist in order to prevent scabbing. If your skin gets too dry and the wound does heal properly, you could be left with a nasty scar. Liberally apply an ointment to the affected area and try to keep it on all day. You want to keep doing this until any open sore has healed.
Don't Panic If You Bleed
Ideally, you will have taken some time off from work following the surgery so that you don't have to put any clothing over the affected area. You don't want your skin to become irritated or the wound to start bleeding due to accidental contact. If you do begin to bleed, stay calm and get a clean bandage. You don't have to put it on all day, but keep pressure over the wound for 10 minutes. If the wound does not stop bleeding after this time period, contact a doctor.
Keep an Eye Out for Infection
A little bit of irritation is to be expected with any open wound, so it's OK if you notice a little bit of redness around the affected area. But if the wound suddenly changes color, starts discharging white pus or becomes swollen, there's a good chance it's become infected. Contact a doctor, like Dermatology Surgery Center, immediately if this happens.
The aftermath of Mohs surgery can be painful, but you can get through it if you listen to your doctor and follow some basic tips for your care. Keep the wound moist at all times and protect it with bandages or ointment as needed. With a little luck, your skin will eventually heal up and hopefully remain cancer free.
Share28 February 2017
While I wasn't fond the reason I had to visit a dermatologist when I was a teenager (I had severe acne that she helped me manage), I feel lucky to have had the experience of visiting a dermatologist and learning just what they can do to help me have great-looking skin. I wasn't happy when I got my first wrinkle at about 30; my acne had just cleared up, and I wanted to enjoy having skin I finally loved for at least a few years! With a little more help from my dermatologist, I am now in my 50s, and many people think I am much younger than I am due to the amazing anti-aging treatments my dermatologist gives me. I want to teach what I have learned about skincare to others who need the advice, so please come back often for new skincare tips!
