Preparing For Mohs Surgery
Posted on: 21 July 2017
There are so many different types of cancer that it can become overwhelming. One type of cancer that many people have heard about, but do not know how serious it can be, is skin cancer. There are approximately 80,000 people that will be diagnosed with skin cancer in the year 2017. Of these that are diagnosed, an estimated 9,700 will die. These are some pretty sobering numbers, but the good news is that if skin cancer is caught early, it can be treated. One of the most common procedures that a person can go through is called Mohs surgery. This is a procedure where the cancer is cut layer by layer until it is completely gone. Here are a few things that you should do to prepare for the surgery.
Blood Thinners
One of the most important things that you can do is to stop taking blood thinners. The doctor will likely tell you not to take aspirin and other drugs that can be a blood thinner, but you should also stay away other substances that are blood thinners. Some natural blood thinners include garlic, ginger, ginkgo, fish oil, vitamin E, and tree ear mushrooms. Since the procedure involves cutting away infected tissue, it is very important that the doctor be able to get the blood under control.
Ointment
There is nothing worse than being in a great deal of pain or under anesthesia and having to go to the store for medication. If you have ever had to go to a pharmacy after a procedure, you understand how frustrating that experience can be. Instead of going to the pharmacy after you have gone through the procedure, get the topical ointment required for healing before you go in for your Mohs surgery. This is going to make it so you can get home faster and ensure that you do not have to deal with anyone while you are sedated or while you are in pain.
Arrange A Ride
During major surgeries there is no doubt that you will arrange a ride home from the doctors office. However, Mohs surgery should be treated in the same way. Make sure that you have a ride home. You do not know how your body is going to react to the anesthesia, and you could be a little bit sick from the procedure. Play it safe and have a ride home arranged prior to the surgery.
Visit a site like http://www.eastcarolinadermatology.com to learn more about Mohs surgery.
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