patient resources

Post op Wound Care

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Our process

The Mohs Process: What to Expect

Consultation

At Northstar Mohs & Skin Surgery, your care begins with a thorough consultation. During this visit, your dermatologist will explain the procedure in detail, outline each step, and answer any questions you may have. You’ll receive clear guidance on what to expect before, during, and after treatment. Following your consultation, our team will schedule your surgery for the date and time most convenient for you.

Removal

The area to be treated is cleansed, marked, and injected with a local anesthetic. Once the area is numb, your Mohs surgeon will carefully remove a thin layer of tissue from the affected area. This layer includes the visible portion of the skin cancer along with a small margin of surrounding tissue. The goal is to remove as little healthy skin as possible while ensuring complete removal of cancerous cells.

Preparation of Tissue

The removed tissue is taken to our on-site laboratory for immediate processing. The specimen is carefully mapped, marked with colored dyes to indicate orientation, and then frozen. Ultra-thin sections are prepared for microscopic examination. This precise preparation allows your surgeon to match what is seen under the microscope with the exact location on your skin.

Microscopic Examination

Using a high-powered microscope, your Mohs surgeon examines the entire margin of the tissue to check for any remaining cancer cells. If cancer cells are detected, your surgeon will return to the exact area identified and remove another thin layer of tissue. This process is repeated layer by layer until no cancer cells remain—ensuring the highest cure rate possible while preserving healthy tissue.

Reconstruction

Once all cancer cells have been successfully removed, your surgeon will determine the best way to repair the surgical site. Depending on the size and location of the area, options may include allowing the wound to heal naturally, closing it with stitches, or using a skin flap or graft. In certain cases, particularly for larger or more complex tumors, a specialized surgeon such as an oculoplastic surgeon (for areas around the eye) or a facial plastic surgeon may be involved to ensure the best possible outcome.Our goal is to achieve both optimal healing and an excellent cosmetic result.

Follow-Up Appointment

A follow-up visit will be scheduled to assess your healing and ensure there are no complications. During this appointment, your dermatologist will evaluate the surgical site, review wound care, remove stitches if needed, and address any questions or concerns.

Continued Care

Even after successful Mohs surgery, ongoing skin checks are essential. Your Northstar Mohs and Skin Surgery team will create a personalized plan for routine skin exams and self-monitoring to help detect any new or recurring skin cancers early. After your surgical care is complete, we will refer you back to your primary dermatologist for your full-body skin exams and ongoing dermatologic care.

Referral forms

Voices of Our Patients

“I found everyone to be very friendly in the office. Dr Amir’s assistant was attentive to my needs and comfort. Dr Amir is an excellent surgeon who cares for his patients with compassion, concern and encouragement.” - Glenn “Wonderful Doctors and immaculate facility! Everyone from reception desk to nurses, doctors, and checkout staff are professional and incredibly nice. Doctor Amir bedside manners are wonderful and treats you like family. I went there with great pain and felt immediately better after procedure that was done in office with relatively no pain. I do highly recommend them for all dermatology needs.”

I feel so fortunate to have found Dr Amir and his wonderful staff. He is a very patient centered physician. He listens, explains and makes sure you understand. As a healthcare professional I seen him and his office staff hitting all the key indicators for quality, compassionate care.

Dr. Aboutalebi and his team are absolute professionals. They go above and beyond to ensure patient comfort and I couldn’t imagine a more positive experience. Every single employee that I spoke with was polite and helpful, even during these stressful times. During surgery, Dr. Aboutalebi took every single precaution possible to ensure the process was clean, painless, and safe. He’s also extremely personable and truly cares about his patients. More importantly, he treats his staff with respect and prioritizes training and educating. I’ll use Northstar Dermatology for anything that ever comes up and I highly recommend you do as well.

Dr. Amir is the finest dermatologist that I have ever met. He knows exactly what is needed to be done and it's always has been a smooth procedure. I'm grateful for the whole team.

The office was bright and very clean as were the exam rooms. Entire staff was pleasant and helpful. Dr. Aboutalebi was personable and professional. Overall, a very, very pleasant experience. I highly recommend.

FAQ

We understand that undergoing skin cancer treatment can bring many questions and concerns. This FAQ page was created to guide you through the most common questions about Mohs surgery and dermatologic care at Northstar Mohs & Skin Surgery. Our goal is to help you feel comfortable, prepared, and confident every step of the way.