I had MOHs surgery yesterday at Guys Hospital, London. My experience so far …
The whole team were lovely, and all female. The surgeon, knowing about my local anaesthetic phobia, was very kind and patient and very gentle. The procedure took about 40 minutes, my wound was dressed and I went back to the waiting area while my sample was sent to the laboratory.
3 hours later I was called back into the Operating room and was told that I had nodular bcc and all the nodules had been removed. What was left was superficial bcc.
Then the choice of what to do next was left for me to decide. This came as a bit of a shock as I wasn’t expecting to be given options!
I could have more MOHs, leave the wound open to heal by itself or close the wound with a flap and use topical cream 3 months + after surgery to treat the remaining superficial bcc.
After discussion, I chose to close the wound and have topical treatment. Then I was given a choice of where to take the flap from! Cheek or nose. After discussion, I said I would go with whatever they felt best and I had a flap taken from the area above the wound, on the side of my nose. The surgery took over 2 hours, involved numerous amounts of local anaesthetic injections and a lot of stitches, both dissolvable and removable.
I was shown a picture of what it looked like, before they dressed it, and it didn’t look as horrendous as I had feared. I was discharged and went home. I have a follow up appointment in one week to have the stitches removed.
On the journey home (2 + hours by car) the anaesthetic started wearing off and the pain hit! 8 - 9/10 pain. I was told to take Co-codamol and it has helped to dumb down but not totally eliminate the pain. I have a pressure dressing over my nose, a slightly black eye, can’t open my mouth fully as it pulls on my nose and hurts. A bit difficult to eat and brush my teeth but it’s less than 24 hours post surgery so not surprising.
I’ve been told to rest, not lift anything heavy, bend down, no vacuuming etc for a week. I guess this is because of potential bleeding. At present I haven’t had any bleeding and my dressing is clean. So far, so good.
Hello Midday58,
You must be so relieved that all surgery is over. Well done!
I had an Island Pedicle skin flap to the whole side of my nose in April after MOHS surgery. The suture line was also perfect. The healing process does take time and patience and you may be offered follow up appointments to monitor this. Each hospital is different.
There will be a scabbing which can take a few weeks to dissolve by using a prescribed cream or Vaseline. As it involves the nose you may feel self conscious as it may heal without a dressing. You may have a black eye as well. It depends where the suture line begins and ends. You may have been given a 5 day course of antibiotics.
If you wear glasses this poses a challenge if you don’t use contact lenses. I don’t use contact lenses but have managed Fortunately I’m retired and get by.
Addenbrooke’s was very good with the nurse led dermatology clinic and I could also phone in for advice during office hours.
If during the suturing of the skin flap one side of the nose is pulled and narrowed and so reduces the airway a little you will be given advice and reassurance. This happened to me. Of course the nose feels hot and red and like a Belisha beacon! This gradually improves over the months.
Wishing you an uncomplicated recovery. Take care. 
