Mohs Surgery & Lesion Removal
Palm Harbor Mohs Surgery & Lesion Removal
Mohs surgery is an excisional surgery technique. This out-patient procedure involves removing tumors in repetitious stages, processing the tissue in “slices” and determining microscopically exactly where the tumor margins meet the healthy skin. This surgical method is greater than 99% accurate and preserves a maximal amount of healthy skin resulting in a smaller surgical scar. The procedure is done under local anesthetic and requires minimal patient preparation and limited aftercare from a skin doctor for most patients.
Mohs Surgery Dermatologist
Dr. Hamill is a highly experienced Mohs surgeon and dermatologist with over 30+ years of experience performing the procedure. Dr. Hamill is a co-author of The Atlas of Mohs and Frozen Section Cutaneous Pathology, one of the most comprehensive texts on the subject of Mohs surgery and the related histopathology. Dr. Hamill also received training directly under Dr. Frederic Mohs, the physician who invented and developed the Mohs surgical procedure.
The benefits to Mohs Surgery include:
- 99% accuracy
- Preservation of a maximal amount of healthy skin
- Minimal patient preparation
- Limited aftercare for most patients
Skin Cancer & Lesion Removal
Skin cancer is the most common carcinoma worldwide affecting millions. One in five Americans and one in three Caucasians will develop skin cancer in their lifetime; one person dies almost every hour from melanoma. It is also one of the most preventable cancers. Protection of the skin from ultraviolet light (UV) exposure and early detection through preventative skin screening can drastically reduce the risk of skin cancer.
The three most common forms of skin cancer are Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC), Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) and Malignant Melanoma (MM). Only a skin biopsy can definitively determine if a mole or lesion is cancerous. Any lesion that changes in size, color, shape or texture, itches or bleeds for no reason should be evaluated by a health care provider as soon as possible.
The ABCDE rule outlines the clinical presentation and warning signals of the most common type of melanoma. “A” is for asymmetry (one half of the mole does not match the other half); “B” is for border irregularity (the edges are ragged, notched, or blurred); “C” is for color (the pigmentation is not uniform, with variable degrees of tan, brown, or black); “D” is for diameter greater than 6 millimeters (about the size of a pencil eraser); “E” is for evolution, elevation and/or enlargement of a lesion.
Any suspicious skin lesion or mole can be removed for testing by a simple skin biopsy. A biopsy is a routine procedure and requires only a minimal amount of discomfort and time. Our Palm Harbor mole removal experts can help you at any of our offices: