Mohs Surgery

[Aerides]

OP here. DH is having issues with his Mohs surgery recovery. He has been having some bleeding, pain, trouble sleeping. He went to his one week follow up with the surgeon and I went with him. It turns out that even though the bump that could be seen was tiny when the the surgeon started cutting the basal cell cancer was much larger under the skin so they had to cut out more than was anticipated. They did a "flap" repair but the flap is not healing well so that is why DH was having some bleeding and pain. The surgeon is sure that he got all the cancer and believes that the flap will eventually heal but it could take a month or more. In the meanwhile DH must continue to wear a large bandage, clean the wound twice a day and coat it with vaseline. The bleeding has finally stopped and the pain is going away. DH will go back to the surgeon in a month. It is possible that DH will have to have more surgery (possible referral to a plastic surgeon).

My Mum had one of these about 20 years ago, right on the bridge of her nose. They had to do about 4 layers of cuts, which they anticipated from the biopsy, basically down to the bone in that area, there's so little skin to begin with. In her case, they did the plastic surgery at the same time (took a layer of skin from behind her ear to replace the gouged area.

She had it done around halloween, and by christmas you had to look close to see it. So, in your DH's case, it seems they are being more cautious in the excavation (which is good!), but the overall thing might take a bit longer. I presume you've made his docs fully aware of his meds and other conditions? It's likely those play a role in his slower healing.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I still have a "crater" on my scalp from the last one, no other issues though. Luckily, I still have the odd hair to cover it up.

 

[mickeyd]

I have had 5-6 Mohs surgeries during the last 10 years or so. Never had any problems.