If you face a skin cancer diagnosis, you want a treatment that completely clears the disease. You also want to protect your appearance.
At Idaho Skin Institute, Dr. Earl Stoddard and our team provide advanced care in Chubbuck, Burley, and Twin Falls, Idaho. We offer Mohs surgery to give you the highest possible cure rate.
Traditional surgery can leave gaps where microscopic cancer cells may escape detection. To prevent this, surgeons must widely excise the cancerous skin lesion to help ensure the margins (skin borders around the lesion) are free of cancer cells. Even then, however, some cells may be missed, requiring a second procedure.
On the other hand, Mohs surgery achieves its high cure rate because the surgeon examines 100% of the tissue margins, layer by layer, under a microscope during the procedure. This precise mapping helps ensure the entire tumor is removed, reduces recurrence risk, and spares healthy skin.
In a study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology, researchers explain that Mohs surgery analyzes 100% of the tissue margin. In contrast, standard surgical excision only examines about 1% to 2% of the specimen margin.
Mohs surgery is highly effective for basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas. However, it is not the default treatment for invasive melanoma. Invasive melanoma requires traditional pathology to measure tumor depth accurately.
Mohs surgery is a multi-stage process completed in a single day. We perform the procedure under local anesthesia in our office.
First, we remove the visible tumor with a very narrow margin. You will then receive a temporary bandage and rest in our waiting area. This waiting period usually takes about an hour per stage while we process the tissue.
If the microscope shows any remaining cancer, we bring you back to remove only the affected area. We repeat this loop until the margins are completely clear. This process preserves as much of your healthy tissue as possible.
However, it is hard to tell how large a skin cancer is just by looking at it. Some tumors grow like icebergs, spreading deep beneath the surface. Because of this, we recommend clearing your schedule for the entire day.
To ensure the safest outcome, you should choose a surgeon who has completed a fellowship in Mohs surgery. This advanced training prepares the doctor to act as a surgeon, pathologist, and reconstructive specialist.
The American Board of Dermatology mandates that starting with the 2026 exam, all new candidates for subspecialty certification must complete an accredited fellowship. During this fellowship, a surgeon must perform at least 500 Mohs surgeries and 500 reconstructions.
Dr. Stoddard is a fellowship-trained member of the American College of Mohs Surgery and has performed more than 6,000 Mohs surgeries. He has the expertise needed to remove your cancer and reconstruct the area. Our team at Idaho Skin Institute provides this high level of care at all our locations.
If you have concerns about a new or changing spot, we are here to help. We offer comprehensive skin checks and advanced treatments to keep your skin healthy.
To schedule a consultation, contact our team at our Chubbuck, Burley, or Twin Falls offices today.
