Following Mohs surgery, Dr. Momin may utilize one of the following options for surgical reconstruction:

Natural Healing

In some scenarios, it’s best to allow the body to heal itself. The wound remains open and heals naturally from the edges and the base. Natural healing can be a good option for wounds that are small, shallow, flat or concave.

Linear Closure

Side-to-side stitching closes the wound in a straight line. To close a circle, extra tissue is trimmed on either end of the circle so the suture line lies flat. Linear closure is an effective option if there is enough laxity in the surrounding skin.

Skin Flap

A flap may be used when natural healing or linear closure is not suitable. A flap may be done in one surgery (single stage) or in several separate surgeries (multi-stage). All flaps use geometric designs to utilize surrounding skin. The flap movement shifts this skin into place to repair the wound.

Skin Graft

Skin from one area of the body (donor skin) is transferred to the wound at another site. Blood vessels from the recipient connect with the skin graft. Grafted skin may appear different in color, texture and thickness from the surrounding skin because it comes from a different site. However, skin grafts can still yield excellent results since the surgeon carefully selects the donor site to match the features of the wound site. In some cases, a skin graft will benefit from dermabrasion three to six months after surgery. Dermabrasion involves sanding the graft and surrounding skin for a more even match.