Skin Cancer & Mohs Surgery in Peachtree City, GA

Plan on a half day. Most of that time is comfortable waiting while we examine your tissue in the lab between stages. Bring a book.

Shower and wash your hair the morning of surgery, eat a normal breakfast unless told otherwise, and avoid alcohol and any medications or supplements your surgeon asks you to hold. Skip makeup, perfume, nail polish, and jewelry near the surgical site, and have a driver available in case your repair is extensive.

Mohs examines 100% of the removed margin while you wait, so it takes the least healthy skin possible while confirming the cancer is fully out. It's often recommended for the face, head, neck, and recurrent cancers.

Any skin surgery leaves a mark. Dr. Sarah Wilson, our fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon, is also fellowship-trained in cosmetic surgery and plans each repair to make it as small and well-hidden as the site allows. Scars soften considerably over the following months.

Recovery usually involves simple wound care and minimal downtime. Most patients resume normal activities within a day or two. Plan for a few days of taking it easy, keep the site clean and dry per your instructions, and expect a follow-up visit to check healing.

Mohs for a diagnosed skin cancer is generally covered as medically necessary. Our front desk verifies your benefits before your surgery date, so there are no surprises.

Most patients can book directly with us. Some insurance plans do require a referral. Our staff can help you check yours.

Look for certification by the American Board of Dermatology in dermatology and, since 2021, in Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery, the board's subspecialty certification for Mohs surgeons. Dr. Wilson holds both. Board certification and fellowship training are different things: certification confirms knowledge by examination, fellowship confirms supervised hands-on training. Ideally your surgeon has both. What board-certified means →

In Mohs the surgeon reads the frozen-section slides personally, in the office, between stages. That is what lets the surgery finish in one visit with the margins confirmed clear, so ask whether the surgeon who operates is also the one reading your slides. Separately, the biopsy that diagnosed your cancer is read on-site by Dr. Paul Haun, who is dual board-certified in dermatology and dermatopathology.

With Mohs, yes: each layer is examined while you wait, so you leave knowing the cancer is out. Dr. Wilson plans the repair for the same visit and performs it herself. At some practices the reconstruction is scheduled separately or referred to a different surgeon. A fair question to ask before you book.

Six questions cover most of it: Are you fellowship-trained in Mohs surgery? Are you board-certified in dermatology and in micrographic dermatologic surgery? Who reads my slides during surgery? Will you perform the reconstruction, and on the same day? Roughly how many stages should I expect for a cancer like mine? What will recovery and follow-up look like? We're glad to answer all six about Dr. Wilson.

It depends on the type, size, location, and history of the cancer. Appropriate-use criteria developed by the American Academy of Dermatology and the Mohs surgery societies generally favor Mohs for skin cancers on the face, ears, hands, feet, and genitals, for recurrent or aggressive tumors, and for larger tumors elsewhere. A standard excision, with margins checked by a pathologist over the following days, is often reasonable for smaller, low-risk cancers on the trunk and limbs. Your surgeon will tell you which applies to your biopsy result and why.