Mohs surgery (also known as Mohs micrographic surgery) is a surgical technique used to treat skin cancer. It involves removing thin layers of affected skin one at a time and examining them under a microscope until the entire tumor is removed.
Mohs surgery dates back to the 1930s when Dr. Frederic E. Mohs developed and first used the technique at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Mohs was a dermatologist and chemist who was looking for a way to improve the treatment of skin cancer. He studied the properties of different chemicals and found that certain substances could be used to remove thin layers of skin. This technique was ideal for treating skin cancer because it allowed the surgeon to precisely remove only the affected tissue, while leaving healthy tissue intact.
Since its development, Mohs surgery has become an increasingly popular treatment for skin cancer. It is often used to treat tumors that are large, recurrent, or located in difficult-to-reach areas. It is also considered to be a highly effective treatment with a very high cure rate (99%).
Mohs surgery is now widely used by specialists in dermatology around the world, and it is an important tool in the fight against skin cancer.