Mohs Surgery

Mohs Surgery (Skin Cancer Surgery)

Serving the Greater Chicagoland Area and Western Suburbs

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Mohs Surgery (Skin Cancer Surgery)

Dr. Rania Agha, MD is a board certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon in Chicago, Illinois. She is a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon, placing her in a very elite and accomplished class of skin cancer specialists. Mohs surgery, named for Dr. Frederick Mohs who developed the procedure in the 1930s, is reserved for the more severe skin cancers. If you are diagnosed with skin cancer in an area where the skin needs to be preserved, or with borders that are hard to define, a large or aggressive tumor, or a recurrent tumor, Mohs surgery may be the best option for you.

During a Mohs surgery, the obvious mole is removed and then an extra layer of skin is taken and immediately examined under a microscope. If this extra layer of skin is clear of cancer cells, the surgery ends. If there are still cancer cells in that layer of skin, another layer is taken off and then examined. This continues until a layer of skin is removed and declared cancer free. Mohs surgery has the highest cure rate with the best cosmetic outcome.

The goal of a Mohs surgery is to get all signs of cancer out of the skin without taking out extra skin that is not involved with cancer. Therefore, the smallest possible amount of skin can be taken, with the assurance that the cancer has been removed. It increases the chances of a cure and reduces the need for additional surgeries or treatments with minimal cosmetic effects.

Mohs surgery is usually done under local anesthetic and you are completely awake during the procedure. It is done on an outpatient basis so patients can return to normal activities fairly quickly, depending on where the cancer is located. As with any surgeries, there are risks and potential complications with Mohs surgery, but they are limited compared to more complex operations. Bleeding, pain or tenderness around the wound, and infection are some of the most common complications. Over the counter pain relievers are adequate in controlling any pain associated with a Mohs surgery. Depending on the situation, antibiotics might be prescribed after the procedure. After the surgery, the site should be kept dry and therefore, avoid showering after Mohs surgery.


​Mohs surgery is covered by Medicare and other major insurance companies.

Dr. Agha is a fellowship-trained Mohs surgeon and has extensive experience performing Mohs surgery. She is a premier skin cancer specialist in the United States. If after a consultation it is determined that you are a candidate for Mohs surgery, we will be happy to schedule your surgery as soon as possible.


There are other alternatives besides surgery which is Superficial Radiation Therapy another name for it would be IG-SRT. At our office we are offering this alternative for patients. 

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