Don’t feel bad for not knowing how to spell it, or even what it is. Most folks have never heard of Mohs surgery until they wind up with skin cancer that needs to be removed.

Mohs micrographic surgery is a precise and specialized treatment for the total removal of skin cancer. The procedure, named for Frederick Mohs, the physician who developed the technique, can be used on all three types of skin cancer: basal cell, squamous cell and melanoma.

Dr. Neal Gregory is one of only a handful of Mohs surgeons in the Hudson Valley. In 2000, he completed extensive training in Mohs surgery and, today, remains an active member of the American Society of Mohs Surgeons. He has also trained UHVD staff members in the certain techniques and procedures necessary to assist him in the Mohs process.

Mohs surgery is a particularly effective procedure because all of the skin cancer is removed in one visit—a big relief to most patients. Mohs also preserves a larger amount of normal skin in the affected area, which means less scarring in most cases.

“Mohs is extremely accurate, so it is especially useful if the borders of the skin cancer are irregular, or the cancer is fast growing, or if it is in a cosmetically-sensitive area, like the face, nose, ears, neck or hands,” says Dr. Gregory. “So even though Mohs surgery is more labor intensive and expensive, it is the best method for removing and curing many skin cancers.”

Most Mohs patients spend about half a day at the UHVD office, but they appreciate knowing the skin cancer is all out when they leave. They are also often surprised to discover that the area of the skin involved from the surgery is much smaller than they’d imagined.

Dr. Gregory is quick to credit the technicians, nurses and other staff members who assist him during the Mohs process, and adds that every member of the Mohs team is essential.

“The cure rate for Mohs patients is more than 98 percent,” says Dr. Gregory. “Mohs is the most certain way we have to assure a patient that a skin cancer is completely out.”