What does an infection look like after Mohs surgery?

Summary. It is possible to develop an infection after skin cancer removal surgery. Common signs include redness, swelling, pus, a foul smell, increased pain, and a fever. Call your surgeon if you are concerned that you have developed a new infection.

How do you know if your Mohs is infected?

Expansion of redness around the surgical wound. Red splotches or threads suggest infection may be spreading. Clear drainage may be noticed from the surgical wound, but colored or cloudy drainage is concerning and needs to be evaluated. Enlarged lymph nodes near the area of surgery.

How long should I use Vaseline after Mohs surgery?

How long do I apply Vaseline and a bandaid? 1-2 weeks until the sutures are removed, then for 1 week after just apply Vaseline. If you hate the bandage, you can go without it, but you must reapply the Vaseline 5-10 times a day, the wound must not dry out.

How do you treat an open wound after Mohs surgery?

WOUND CARE

  1. Clean the wound and area around the wound with warm soapy water (use a gentle soap like Dove) with a Q tip or gauze pad.
  2. Rinse thoroughly.
  3. Dry wound with a Q tip or gauze pad.
  4. Apply a layer of Vaseline petroleum jelly or aquaphor to wound.
  5. Cover wound with a non-stick gauze pad and paper tape or with a bandaid.

Does Vaseline slow healing?

Don’t do this to your wounds Don’t apply a topical antibiotic. Studies show that petroleum jelly is just as effective as an antibiotic ointment for non-infected wounds. Don’t douse a minor wound with antiseptics like iodine or hydrogen peroxide. They’re actually harmful to the skin and can delay healing.

How long does it take for skin lesions to heal?

Most wounds take 1 to 3 weeks to heal. If you had laser surgery, your skin may change colour and then slowly return to its normal colour. You may need only a bandage, or you may need stitches.

Why can wound healing be slower/more difficult on lower legs after Mohs surgery?

Why Can Wound Healing Be Slower/More Difficult On The Lower Legs After Mohs Surgery. While Mohs surgery is usually the skin cancer, it still results in a wound that can be fairly large depending on the extent of the cancer. After the highly successful complete cancer removal rate, the skin is repaired and reconstructed to allow for optimal healing.

What happens to the skin after Mohs surgery?

After the highly successful complete cancer removal rate, the skin is repaired and reconstructed to allow for optimal healing. Many patients discover, however, that wounds on the lower legs resolve slower and have a more difficult time healing after Mohs surgery than wounds in other locations of the body.

How long does a scalp wound take to heal after Mohs surgery?

A: Healing scalp wound after mohs surgery. It sounds like the wound was allowed to heal by secondary intention which is quite commonly done and a perfectly reasonable approach on the scalp where the skin is tight. Wounds that are allowed to heal by themselves can take awhile to heal- longer than a month.

When to see a Mohs surgeon for wound care follow up?

HAving said that, despite your proper wound care regimen, now is a good time to see your mohs sugeon for wound care follow up. I tend to follow up with patients whom I allow to heal secondarily two to 4 weeks after the procedure. It is not uncommon for a Mohs Defect of the scalp to take 2 months to heal.