Dec
At Essential Dermatology, our board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Michael Krathen, along with physician assistants Brooke and Alyssa, is committed to ensuring patients can access solutions that improve their quality of life and overall health. Once a diagnosis of skin cancer is made, patients might be overwhelmed by the decisions they have to make looking forward. With the help of our team, many men and women find that having their cancer treated using Mohs micrographic surgery is often the best course of action to take in terms of a reliable and effective skin cancer treatment. It is a specific type of excision procedure that uses a specialized technique to treat all areas of cancerous cells while leaving as much healthy tissue behind as possible. Let’s look at a few frequently asked questions about Mohs micrographic surgery that our team often hears at our offices in Needham, Natick, and Marlborough, Massachusetts.
According to Dr. Krathen, Mohs micrographic surgery is a precise surgical method for treating different kinds of skin cancer. Thin layers of skin tissue are manually removed, and each layer is examined under a microscope until all cancer cells have been eliminated.
Mohs micrographic surgery is primarily used to treat two varieties of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). These are the most common forms of skin cancer, but they might also be used for other less common types, such as melanoma or certain rare tumors and precancerous lesions.
Mohs micrographic surgery has a high cure rate and is particularly effective for treating skin cancer in sensitive or difficult-to-treat areas, such as the face, ears, hands, feet, and genitals. It eliminates significantly less healthy tissue than other treatment options, which leads to smaller scars and better cosmetic results.
While Mohs surgery can be used for various types of skin cancer, it is not always the best option for everyone. Dr. Krathen is a board-certified dermatologist who assesses your case and determines if this procedure suits you based on factors such as the size and location of the cancer found.
We welcome you to call Essential Dermatology to request an initial evaluation with our team. We have three convenient clinics in Needham, Natick, and Marlborough, Massachusetts. We are open to new patients and can help guide you through your journey after a skin cancer diagnosis. Call (508) 545-9611 to reach out to our office in Marlborough, MA.
Dr. Michael Krathen is a board-certified dermatologist with over a decade of medical training and experience. He studied biology and Spanish, graduating summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, where he also completed medical school. His training included a medical internship at the Beth-Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston and a dermatology residency at the combined Boston University/Tufts Residency Program.
Author of various medical journal articles, Dr. Krathen taught at Stanford University School of Medicine and the VA Hospital in Jamaica Plain.