Mohs Reconstruction

If reconstruction and closure are indicated after Dr. Joseph Greco performs Mohs micrographic surgery, he will also be your reconstructive surgeon. Our goal is to perform the Mohs reconstruction on the same day, immediately after the skin cancer is clear.

What is Mohs Reconstruction?

Once Dr. Greco has completely removed the skin cancer, it’s time to close the wound. He will consider the wound’s size and location and go over the best technique with you. Often the wound can close on its own with a bandage, and sometimes a few stitches are needed. Some will require a skin graft, which means an area of skin will be cut from a different part of your body to cover up your Mohs wound.

Mohs Reconstruction Techniques

Because Mohs microscopic surgery is performed on cosmetically sensitive areas or functionally critical areas (around the eyes, nose, mouth, ears, head/neck, etc.) and everyone’s specific case will be different, there are different techniques for the procedure. During your consultation with Dr. Greco, he will discuss which method is best for you based on how much tissue was removed, where the surgery was done, and your personal aesthetic preferences.

Mohs reconstruction techniques can include:

Primary Closure

Primary closure involves closing the wound in a simple side-to-side manner.

Local Flap Closure

To preserve functional capabilities and maximize aesthetic outcome, sometimes a local flap closure is selected. This method uses healthy skin and tissue that are nearby the wound to close it.

Skin Grafting

In skin grafting, healthy skin is removed from another part of the body to cover the wound.

Scarring

Scarring is the body’s natural response to injury, and it is impossible not to leave a scar. However, our goal at Greco Dermatology is to achieve the least perceptible scar possible. Our attention to detail to minimize scarring doesn’t stop once the surgery has been completed. We will continually keep an eye on you for several months as your skin heals.

We have numerous treatment options if any further “finishing touches” are requested or needed. These may include dermabrasion, resurfacing, laser technology, bio-enhancement with growth factors, scar micropigmentation, and cosmetic tattooing.

The Importance of Being Fellowship-Trained

When you choose to work with Greco Dermatology, you can feel confident and assured you’re in the excellent hands of a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon. In addition to being fellowship-trained himself, Joseph F. Greco, M.D. also trained other fellows at UCLA in Mohs surgery. Fellowship-trained Mohs surgeons must undergo:

A competitive application, review, and selection process to be chosen for training
Extensive hands-on direction and education from highly qualified trainers who are themselves skilled practitioners of the Mohs procedure
1-2 years of additional training after residency
Exposure to rare tumor pathology, difficult tumor locations, and complex wound reconstruction
A minimum of 650 cases during training

Mohs Surgery: The Most Effective Treatment for Skin Cancer

Consultation Services for Mohs Reconstruction

Although Dr. Greco is a Mohs surgeon who utilizes advanced reconstructive and suturing techniques, some cancers may require referral to a plastic or head and neck surgeon. When this is the case, we will coordinate consultation and completion of treatment within this network to streamline the process for you.

Recovery

You’ll be able to go home the same day of your Mohs reconstruction — with the skin cancer removed and with a long-term plan in place.

Wound Care Instructions

Mohs Procedure at Greco Dermatology

Why Choose Greco Dermatology?

Greco Dermatology is a skin cancer and lesion clinic and a Mohs center that was founded by double board-certified Mohs surgeon and skin cancer specialist, Joseph F. Greco, M.D. You can be certain that Dr. Greco will expertly perform your surgery. He is a third-generation medical provider with a unique and extensive work experience who has been fellowship-trained in Mohs micrographic surgery, reconstructive surgery, cutaneous oncology, and laser surgery at The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He was one of the first dermatologic surgeons to pass The American Board of Dermatology subspecialty exam to be certified in Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery 2021, and he is also one of a select number of double board-certified and fellowship-trained Mohs micrographic surgeons in the country. Dr. Greco loves getting to know his patients and developing long-term relationships with them. Our goal is to provide a comfortable and soothing environment to help ease the anxiety surrounding procedures. At Greco Dermatology, the patient visit is centered around a great experience.