Mohs Surgery | The Office of Dr. Vincent Hung
If you’ve been diagnosed with skin cancer, Mohs surgery can be a highly effective treatment that removes affected tissue while preserving the surrounding skin whenever possible. A personalized consultation gives you the chance to understand your diagnosis, your treatment options, and what to expect after skin cancer removal. If your skin cancer is on the face, scalp, or other visible area, a consultation is crucial to determine how treatment may affect both your health and appearance.
For patients seeking skin cancer treatment in Pasadena, Newport, and surrounding Southern California communities, Dr. Vincent Hung offers advanced Mohs surgery and reconstructive procedures to help skin cancer patients feel more confident throughout their care. A consultation with Dr. Hung will help you receive clear answers on why Mohs surgery is recommended, what it involves, and what reconstruction may look like.
Table of Contents
- Why Your Mohs Surgery Consultation Matters
- Questions to Ask About Your Diagnosis
- Questions to Ask About Mohs Surgery in Pasadena
- Questions to Ask About Reconstruction
- Questions to Ask About Recovery
- Questions to Ask About Medications and Day-Of Planning
- Why Visit Dr. Vincent Hung for My Mohs Surgery Consultation in Pasadena?
- FAQ About Your Mohs Surgery Consultation
Why Your Mohs Surgery Consultation Matters
Mohs surgery removes skin cancer in stages while the tissue is examined during the procedure. Its progressive structure means only the affected tissue is removed continuously until your skin is cancer-free, preserving as much healthy tissue as possible.
This precision matters when your skin cancer appears in an area where preserving healthy tissue can affect your final result. Mohs surgery can conserve healthy tissue, provide complete cancer removal, and allow the smallest wound necessary for reconstruction.
Your consultation should connect those medical goals to your personal case. During your visit, Dr. Hung will explain your skin cancer type, location, risk factors, treatment options, and expected repair plan. He takes the time to evaluate your case and design a treatment plan tailored to your individual needs.
Questions to Ask About Your Diagnosis
Your diagnosis should guide the treatment plan. Skin cancer treatment often begins with a biopsy, which involves removing a small portion of the lesion and sending it to a lab for analysis.
Helpful questions about your diagnosis to ask during your consultation include:
- What type of skin cancer do I have?
- Is my skin cancer basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, melanoma, or another type?
- Is this cancer considered low or high risk?
- Are the borders clearly defined?
- Has the cancer shown aggressive features?
- Is this a new skin cancer or a recurrence?
These questions help you understand whether Mohs surgery is recommended for you. Mohs surgery is best for patients with common skin cancers that have a high recurrence rate.
Questions to Ask About Mohs Surgery in Pasadena
Your consultation should explain what will happen on the day of surgery. Using local anesthesia, Mohs surgery is performed on an outpatient basis. During the procedure, the visible cancer and a thin rim of tissue surrounding it are removed, mapped, analyzed, and removed again if remaining cancer cells are identified.
Ask Dr. Hung:
- Why do you recommend Mohs surgery for my case?
- How does Mohs surgery differ from standard excision?
- Will I be awake during the procedure?
- How long should I plan to be at the office?
- How many stages do you think may be needed?
- Will I know the same day if the cancer has been removed?
The Mohs procedure can be performed while the patient is awake, allowing it to be done in a medical office or surgical suite.
Questions to Ask About Reconstruction
With Dr. Hung, removal is not the only aspect of surgery. He offers an expert eye for reconstruction, especially important when skin cancer affects facial areas such as the nose, eyelids, lips, or other visible areas.
Your available reconstructive options will be discussed during consultation. These options can include direct closure, local skin flaps, skin grafts, or allowing very small superficial wounds to heal on their own.
Ask questions such as:
- Will I likely need reconstruction after Mohs surgery?
- What repair options may apply to my case?
- Will the reconstruction happen the same day?
- How will the repair protect function?
- What can I realistically expect my scar to look like?
- How long will healing and scar fading take?
Scars will fade over time, but the degree of scarring depends on the amount of reconstruction needed and the treatment site.
Questions to Ask About Recovery
A Mohs surgery consultation should help you plan your recovery before surgery day. While recovery varies case by case, patients should generally expect swelling and bruising around the treatment areas. You will also need to avoid strenuous activity and attend follow-up appointments over the next several weeks following treatment.
During your consultation, you should ask:
- How should I care for the wound after surgery?
- Will I need stitches removed?
- When can I return to work?
- When can I exercise again?
- What symptoms should prompt a call to the office?
- How many follow-up visits should I expect?
These questions help you prepare for the practical side of treatment and avoid surprises during the first few days after surgery.
Questions to Ask About Medications and Day-Of Planning
Medication review is an important part of surgical planning. You should inform Dr. Hung about any active medications and supplements that you may be taking, especially substances that thin your blood.
Ask Dr. Hung:
- Should I continue my prescription medications?
- Do I need to avoid aspirin, anti-inflammatory medications, or supplements?
- Should I eat before my appointment?
- Should someone drive me home?
- What should I bring on surgery day?
- Should I plan to be at the office for several hours?
Following surgery, patients should avoid aspirin or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for at least three days. Your personal medication instructions may differ, so follow the directions given to you by Dr. Hung.
Why Pick Dr. Vincent Hung as My Mohs Surgeon in Pasadena?
Skin cancer treatment should focus on complete cancer removal, healthy tissue preservation, and thoughtful reconstruction when needed. A consultation with Dr. Vincent Hung will help you better understand each stage of the Mohs surgery procedure and what to expect from your unique treatment plan.
Dr. Hung is triple board certified in Internal Medicine, Dermatology, and Plastic Surgery, a rare combination of credentials held by only a handful of surgeons worldwide. He specializes in both cosmetic and reconstructive surgery, having completed a fellowship in “Mohs micrographic surgery.” In addition to advanced surgical techniques for Mohs surgery and skin cancer treatment, he provides patients with treatment planning designed to support comfort, healing, and confidence.
With Dr. Hung, your experience will involve pre-operative and post-operative care throughout your entire surgical plan.
FAQ About Your Mohs Surgery Consultation
What should I bring to my Mohs surgery consultation?
Bring your biopsy results if available, a list of current medications and supplements, your medical history, insurance information, and any questions you want answered.
Will I find out if I need reconstruction during the consultation?
In many cases, Dr. Hung can discuss likely reconstruction options during the consultation. Your available reconstructive options are discussed during your consultation.
Should I ask about scarring before Mohs surgery?
Yes. Scarring fades over time but largely depends on the treatment site, the amount of reconstruction needed, and how you heal.
Can I ask whether standard excision is an option?
Yes. Your consultation with Dr. Hung should help you understand why Mohs surgery, standard excision, or another treatment may be recommended. More aggressive skin cancers may require additional treatment.
How long does Mohs surgery take?
Most Mohs surgeries can be performed in a single visit, as tissue analysis is part of the procedure. However, the total time may vary depending on the required amount of tissue to be removed.
Schedule a Skin Cancer Treatment Consultation in Pasadena, CA
Your Mohs surgery consultation should provide you with more than just a treatment date. It should give you a clear roadmap for cancer removal, reconstruction, recovery, and follow-up care. If you have been diagnosed with skin cancer or told you may need Mohs surgery, Dr. Vincent Hung can evaluate your case, explain your options, and recommend a treatment plan based on your needs.
To schedule a Mohs Surgery consultation at Dr. Hung’s Pasadena or Newport offices, call (626) 432-5032 or request an appointment through the online contact form.
