Care suggestions after facial Mohs for basal cell: time, limitations,

@donnabutcher: I understand your concerns; I've had several Mohs procedures including a few on my face. Can you tell me more about the area you're having treated?

This is a general guideline about what to expect during and after Mohs: https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/mohs-surgery/about/pac-20385222

Your medical provider will give you individual instructions for post-op care which is usually to keep a pressure type dressing on for up to 48 hours, thereafter keep in clean and dry and apply a moist base (vaseline, Aquaphor or the like according to directions) then cover with a bandage. Applying ice to the area for 15 minutes at a time to prevent swelling may be helpful, as well as keeping your head elevated while sleeping for the first few nights; avoid heavy exercise until cleared to do so. Since you'll likely have sutures, which may be self-disoloving or will require removal by the provider, best to avoid makeup or at least keep away from the surgical site until then. These are all good questions to discuss with the practitioner performing this technique on you.

Since sutures used in Mohs are usually quite small, the scar is generally quite light and definitely fades in time so give yourself up to 10 weeks or even more to fully assess what the final results may look like. There are products that can help with scars such as silicone based ointments. I'd suggest discussing any particular brands with your provider? They may have a preferance based upon experience.

When is your Mohs scheduled?

@donnabutcher From my experience, here are answers to your questions. I have had MOHS procedures done on my face, neck, arms, hands for both basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers.

1. Where the surgery is done on your face makes a difference. I have had it done in my eyebrows, alongside my nostril, on my cheek, etc. How it is bandaged afterwards can be a challenge for the technician, and a pressure bandage is usually kept on for 36-48 hours.
2. Scar prevention tips. I use a good quality Vitamin E cream as the site heals, reapplying a very light layer several times a day. Remember our facial skin is pretty temperamental and we may need to tweak things up.
3. Wearing makeup. I don't wear makeup, just a tinted moisturizer with sunscreen.

Hope this helps you figure things out. Are you facing a MOHS procedures soon?
Ginger

@grammato3
Thank you for the helpful information My procedure is this Monday August 24 on my cheek about 2” below my eye nearer to nose It is superficial nodular and quite flat after biopsy 3mm
Hate the thought of wearing bandage for long and concerned about scarring . Hope much healing prior to cruise Nov 7

@gingerw Thanks for your reply and Vit E suggestion
Mine is on cheek in front Very flat since biopsy

Hi,
I had a “Slwo Moh’s”done for melanoma insitu on my left cheek last December. All was removed on first try, but it still looks pink now. I had no sutures. Your doctor will most likely advise you what to do to for scar prevention and better healing. I was told that once mine healed enough, I need to use at least30 SPF sunscreen on it and good to use scar tape which I have been doing. I saw different dermatologist in late July who said it was really not necessary for me to wear scar tape still but it does add more sunscreen. I like to wear it during day as I feel it makes my scar area flatter and more calm when I remove it at night. When I had basal cell carcinomas four other occasions, I had a “cut and burn” procedure on them but they were not on my face. Oddly enough, they are not at all noticeable but the slow Moh’s done on my face is. I hope it fades as more time passes but it has already been eight months.
Keep is posted on I your progress and what your are told to do by your doctor.

@1pearl Thank your for sharing your experience I do find makeup covers what there is of it now and other sunspots on my face

@donnabutcher
I see you post and alot of posters including metors' responded.

Talk to your surgeon about your concerns. I went to Mayo Jacksonville for all my MOHS surgeries. I was given an option for which kind of sutures (on the ones that it was needed) I could have.

Per MOHS surgeon one had less scarring dissolving type, and the other the regular sutures. They were correct as had both.

Most of the time they give you a pressure bandage (at least for me) to stay on at least 24 hours and not to get wet.

Mayo Jacksonville recommends using product called Aquaphor versus Vaseline as an (the guidance on when to start it is per your MOHS surgeon) to help the wound heal from beneath versus a scab on top. And at least for me that did happen.

I have MOHS surgery on my nose and you would not be able to see it. Now on top of my left hand I had two MOHS surgeries on SCC there.

One surgery used dissolving sutures and left barely any notice of having it done. The next time I had the regular have to remove sutures as I had issues with the dissolving sutures taking so long to heal and dissolve. For that surgery with having the have to remove sutures healed much faster but did leave a scar.

Good luck and make sure you talk to your MOHS surgeon about your concerns. On one of my surgeries she had a plastic surgeon standing by to see how much skin was removed and or additional removal of tissues and skin if first MOHS does not remove all.

Any comments on Gentle Cure a non-surgical treatment for basal & squamous cell

@jc76 Thank you for the helpful information. I am pleased to have the dissolvable suctures. I am on day 5 and it already looks better. Before and after I took arnica and had almost no bruising.
A development I had not heard of was that the surgeon used glue ..Dermabond..over the stitches which is waterproof and is to flake off by itself.
Hope to heal quickly and wear my makeup again!

@jayrich: There is a discussion on this you may find helpful here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/anyone-had-gentlecure-im-srt-for-basal-cell-carcinoma/