Dr Rakesh Patalay
Consultant Dermatologist and Dermatology Surgeon at Guy’s Hospital (part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust)
Experts consider Mohs surgery the most effective treatment for skin cancer, with up to a 99% cure rate and minimal scarring.
Mohs micrographic surgery is a specialised procedure that accurately removes skin cancers on the face in a single appointment. At the forefront of this advanced treatment is our team at St John’s Institute of Dermatology at Guy’s Hospital, where we have been treating skin conditions for over 150 years.
Gold standard treatment for skin cancer
Mohs surgery is seen as the gold standard treatment for basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), the 2 most common types of non-melanoma skin cancer.
BCC grows slowly, while SCC grows faster and may spread, but both can be successfully treated with Mohs surgery. In almost all cases, BCC and SCC are both caused by UV radiation from exposure to the sun.
The processing of each layer of tissue can take
60-90 minutes, so patients should be prepared
to spend several hours in the clinic.
What is Mohs surgery?
Mohs surgery was first developed in the 1930s and involves removing the carcinoma layer by layer. Each sample is analysed by our dedicated on-site laboratory to determine whether any cancer is present. If any cancerous cells remain, the next layer of tissue is removed and examined the same way, with the process repeated until the surgeon reaches a layer with no cancerous cells.
“Mohs surgery offers the highest cure rate and least scarring for treating facial cancers,” explains Dr Rakesh Patalay, consultant dermatologist and dermatology surgeon. “Our team is highly trained in this technique, with Guy’s Hospital performing the most Mohs procedures of any centre in the country.”
How long does Mohs surgery take?
The processing of each layer of tissue can take 60-90 minutes, so patients should be prepared to spend several hours in the clinic. With our dermatology specialists dedicated to the patient for the entire day, they can return home just hours later, confident that the cancer has been completely removed.
World-renowned dermatology experts
Our Mohs surgery specialists work at Guy’s Hospital, which is home to St John’s Institute of Dermatology, a world-renowned centre for treating skin conditions. At Guy’s, we have the largest Mohs centre in the UK, and we’re proud to now bring that expertise to our state-of-the-art, private facilities at 77-79 Wimpole Street in the Harley Street Health District.
To find out if Mohs surgery is right for you, speak to our team on 020 3808 0083 or email [email protected]
