How long is Mohs surgery?

The actual removal portion of Mohs surgery only takes a few minutes to complete, according to Mayo Clinic. However, Mohs surgery patients should expect to be there for several hours on the day of the procedure, states MedicineNet. As an outpatient procedure, Mohs surgery is typically completed in one day.

The longest portion of the procedure is waiting for the laboratory results of the excised skin. If cancer is discovered, more time is needed to remove additional skin. Further testing is then performed, and the surgical portion is repeated until the final tissue sample results show that the patient is free of cancer.