Having skin cancer surgery can leave you with plenty of practical questions.
How much will it hurt? When can I shower? How long do stitches stay in? When can I exercise? And what will the scar look like?
The answers depend on several things, including:
where the skin cancer was;
how large and deep the wound is;
whether you had a standard excision or Mohs surgery;
whether the wound was stitched, repaired with a flap or graft, or left to heal on its own;
and your general health.
The good news is that most skin cancer surgery is performed as an outpatient procedure, and serious complications are uncommon. Recovery is usually straightforward, although larger wounds, skin grafts and skin flaps need more care.
Here is what you can usually expect.
1. What happens immediately after skin cancer surgery?
Once the skin cancer has been removed, the surgeon needs to decide how the wound should heal.
There are several possibilities.
The wound may be:
closed directly with stitches;
repaired using nearby skin, called a skin flap;
covered using skin taken from another area, called a skin graft;
or left open to heal naturally from the bottom upwards. This is called secondary intention healing.
The best choice depends on the size, depth and location of the wound and how much loose skin is available nearby.
A dressing is normally placed over the area before you leave.
Your surgical team should tell you:
how long to leave the first dressing on;
how and when to clean the wound;
whether to apply an ointment;
when you can shower;
what activities to avoid;
and when you need to return.
There is no single wound-care routine that is best for every skin surgery. A 2024 review found that postoperative care still varies between surgeons because high-quality studies comparing many wound-care methods are limited.
A small amount of swelling, bruising or minor bleeding can happen during the first few days, especially after a larger repair.
2. How painful is the recovery?
For most people, pain after routine skin cancer surgery is mild and short-lived.
A large prospective study of more than 2,000 people undergoing Mohs surgery found that pain was usually greatest on the first day after surgery and then improved. The location of the surgery and the type of repair affected how much pain people experienced.
A systematic review also found that most dermatologic surgery causes only minor pain for a short period.
You may have more discomfort if:
the wound is large;
the surgery is on certain areas such as the scalp;
or the wound has been repaired with a flap or graft.
Even then, severe pain is not expected after most routine procedures.
Paracetamol, also called acetaminophen, is commonly used for pain after skin surgery. Anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen may also be appropriate for some people, but they are not suitable for everyone. Follow the pain-relief instructions given by your surgeon, particularly if you take blood-thinning medicines or have kidney, stomach, liver or bleeding problems.
When should pain concern you?
Pain should generally improve rather than become steadily worse.
Increasing pain several days after surgery, particularly when it occurs with increasing redness, heat, swelling or discharge, can be a sign that the wound needs to be reviewed.
3. How long does healing normally take?
There is an important difference between a wound being closed, being healed, and the scar being fully mature.
They do not happen at the same time.
A simple stitched wound
A straightforward wound may look quite well healed within the first one or two weeks.
However, the deeper tissues are still repairing themselves.
In fact, a healing wound is still relatively weak around the time stitches are usually removed. Wound separation can occur around two weeks after surgery because the new scar has not yet developed normal strength.
A wound left open to heal
These wounds generally take longer.
A recent survey of Mohs surgeons found that most reported complete healing of wounds left to heal naturally within about 4 to 8 weeks, although some wounds took longer.
Location and depth make a big difference.
For example, deeper wounds over exposed bone on the scalp can take several months to completely cover with new skin.
The scar takes much longer
Even when the surface has healed, the scar continues changing.
During the following months it can become:
softer;
flatter;
less red;
and less noticeable.
Scar remodelling takes place over many months, and scars after Mohs surgery can continue changing for 12 to 18 months.
So do not judge the final appearance of your scar after only a few weeks.
4. Will I need stitches?
Many people will, but not everyone.
Stitches are commonly used when the edges of the wound can be brought together safely.
Sometimes there are two layers of stitches.
Deeper stitches sit underneath the skin and reduce tension on the wound. These are often made from material that dissolves by itself.
There may also be stitches on the surface of the skin. These may either dissolve or need to be removed later. Modern skin surgery uses many different types of stitches, and there is no single suture material that is best for every wound.
When are stitches removed?
This depends mainly on the body area and the amount of tension on the wound.
Typical ranges used in dermatologic surgery are approximately:
head and neck: often around 5–7 days;
trunk: around 10–14 days;
arms and legs: often around 10–14 days, sometimes longer in areas under greater tension.
These are only general ranges. Your surgeon may remove them earlier or later depending on how your wound is healing.
Absorbable stitches do not normally need a separate appointment simply to pull them out, although the wound may still need to be checked.
5. What will the scar look like?
Every operation that cuts through the deeper layer of skin produces some form of scar.
At first, a surgical scar may look:
red or pink;
raised or slightly lumpy;
firm;
tight;
or more obvious than you expected.
This does not necessarily represent the final result.
Scars change during a long remodelling process. Research following human surgical scars shows that their appearance and structure continue changing for many months.
The final scar depends on several things, including:
the size and depth of the original wound;
the body area;
the direction and tension of the wound;
the type of repair;
your individual healing response;
and whether complications such as infection or wound separation occur.
No surgeon can guarantee that a scar will disappear completely.
However, long-term patient studies show that most people rate their scars after skin cancer surgery positively.
If a scar remains thick, raised, tight or cosmetically concerning after it has had time to settle, there are treatments that may help. Your surgeon can decide whether scar treatment is needed and when it should begin.
6. What are skin flaps and skin grafts?
These terms can sound more frightening than they are.
They are simply different ways of covering a wound when it cannot be closed easily in a straight line.
A skin flap
A flap uses skin and tissue next to, or near, the wound.
The surgeon moves this tissue into the area where the skin cancer was removed.
Importantly, the flap usually remains connected to its own blood supply while it is moved.
Flaps can be useful for larger wounds or areas where shape and movement are important, such as the:
nose;
lips;
eyelids;
cheeks;
ears;
scalp;
and other areas where simply pulling the wound together could distort nearby structures.
Flap scars are not always straight. Depending on the repair, they may curve, zig-zag or extend beyond the original skin cancer site.
A skin graft
A skin graft is different.
A piece of skin is completely removed from another part of the body and placed over the surgical wound.
Because the graft has been separated from its original blood supply, it needs to develop a new blood supply from the wound underneath it.
This is why the first few days after a graft are important.
A special dressing may be placed firmly over the graft to keep it in close contact with the wound. This dressing is often removed at a follow-up appointment around a week later.
A graft also creates a second wound where the skin was taken from, called the donor site.
Flaps and grafts can therefore require more careful aftercare than a small straight-line repair.
7. When can I shower?
Follow the instructions from your surgeon because the answer depends on how your wound was repaired.
However, modern research suggests that simple surgical wounds do not necessarily need to stay completely dry for several days.
A 2024 randomised controlled trial involving 437 people having skin surgery compared water exposure after only six hours with standard later wound care. Early water exposure did not increase infection, bleeding, bruising or poor scar outcomes.
A previous systematic review and meta-analysis also found no increase in infection or wound complications when patients showered earlier after surgery.
So for a straightforward stitched wound, your surgeon may allow gentle showering relatively early.
But this does not mean every wound can be treated the same way.
Special dressings, skin grafts and some flap repairs may need to stay dry and undisturbed for longer.
If you have a graft with a special pressure dressing, for example, that dressing may need to remain in place until your surgeon reviews it.
The practical rule
Follow the instructions for your particular wound rather than a general internet rule.
When showering is allowed, gentle water exposure is very different from scrubbing the wound or soaking it for a long period.
8. When can I exercise or return to work?
This depends much more on the wound and your job than on the skin cancer itself.
A small wound on the face of someone who works at a desk is very different from:
a large wound on the leg;
surgery over a shoulder or joint;
a skin graft;
a large flap;
or a person whose job involves lifting, bending or physical labour.
Exercise puts tension on healing skin.
Heavy lifting, stretching, bending and vigorous exercise can also increase pressure and movement around a surgical wound. This can contribute to bleeding or wound separation. Dermatologic surgery guidance therefore commonly recommends limiting strenuous activity during the early healing period.
Your wound can still be weak even after the surface looks healed.
This is especially relevant around the time stitches are removed.
Returning to work
Many people can return to light or desk-based work relatively quickly after uncomplicated outpatient skin surgery.
You may need more time away if:
your job is physical;
the surgical area is easily stretched or knocked;
you have a large dressing;
the surgery affects your vision or movement;
or you have had a large flap or graft.
Some staged reconstructive flaps require more than one operation and can require significant time away from normal activities.
There is no evidence-based rule saying everyone should return to work on the same day.
Your surgeon should give you restrictions that match your wound, your repair and your job.
9. What signs of infection or bleeding should I watch for?
Fortunately, infection after routine dermatologic surgery is uncommon.
Reviews generally report infection rates of only a few percent or less after clean skin surgery.
Some redness, tenderness and swelling can be normal during early healing.
The concern is when these symptoms become worse rather than better, particularly several days after surgery.
Contact your doctor if you develop:
increasing redness around the wound;
increasing warmth;
worsening swelling;
increasing or unexpected pain;
pus or thick discharge;
wound edges starting to separate;
or fever or chills.
These are recognised features used when doctors assess surgical wound infections.
What about bleeding?
A little spotting or staining on a dressing can happen after surgery.
Active bleeding that continues is different.
Current dermatologic surgery guidance recommends applying firm, continuous pressure for about 20 minutes without repeatedly lifting the dressing to check. If significant bleeding continues despite pressure, the surgical team should be contacted.
Seek urgent medical care for severe or uncontrolled bleeding, rapidly increasing swelling, faintness or other signs that you may be losing a significant amount of blood.
10. When should I see my doctor again?
There are really two types of follow-up after skin cancer surgery.
The first is wound follow-up
You may need an appointment to:
remove stitches;
remove or change a graft dressing;
check a flap or graft;
review how the wound is healing;
or discuss the pathology results if these were not already available.
Exactly when this occurs depends on the procedure.
For example, non-dissolving facial stitches are commonly removed earlier than stitches on the trunk or limbs. Skin graft dressings are also commonly checked at about one week.
The second is long-term skin cancer follow-up
Having one skin cancer increases the chance of developing another skin cancer.
This means follow-up does not necessarily end when the stitches come out.
For people who have had basal cell carcinoma, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends ongoing checks for recurrence and new skin cancers.
People who have had cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma should also have ongoing skin surveillance, with more intensive follow-up when the original cancer had high-risk features.
After melanoma, follow-up depends more strongly on the stage and risk of recurrence. Ongoing whole-body skin examinations and regular self-examination remain important because people who have had melanoma are also at increased risk of another melanoma.
So your final surgical appointment should answer two separate questions:
Has this wound healed properly?
and
What skin cancer surveillance do I need from now on?
A simple recovery timeline
Although every wound is different, this is a useful general picture:
First 24–48 hours
Some tenderness, swelling, bruising or small amounts of bleeding can occur.
Follow the dressing and wound-care instructions from your surgeon. Pain is usually greatest during this early period.
First week
Pain should usually be improving.
Some facial stitches may be removed during this period. Grafts and more complex repairs may also be reviewed.
One to two weeks
Many straightforward stitched wounds look well closed.
Stitches on the trunk or limbs may be removed around this period.
But the new scar is still weak, so strenuous exercise may still place too much tension on it.
Several weeks
Most uncomplicated wounds continue to strengthen.
Open wounds and larger repairs may still need dressings. Many wounds healing naturally after Mohs surgery take around four to eight weeks to completely cover with new skin, although healing can be faster or much slower depending on location and depth.
Several months to a year or more
The scar continues to flatten, soften and change colour.
The appearance at four weeks is not the final appearance. Scar maturation can continue for 12 months or longer.
The bottom line
Recovery after skin cancer surgery is usually straightforward, but there is no single recovery timetable that applies to every wound.
A small stitched excision and a large Mohs wound repaired with a flap or graft are very different operations.
For most people:
Pain is mild and improves over the first few days.
Stitches may stay in for roughly one to two weeks, depending on the body area.
The wound may look healed before it has regained normal strength.
Scars continue changing for many months.
Early showering appears safe for many ordinary surgical wounds, but grafts and special dressings may need different care.
Strenuous exercise should be limited until the wound is strong enough for the activity.
Increasing redness, pain, warmth, swelling, pus or persistent bleeding should be checked.
And perhaps most importantly:
Your surgeon’s instructions should take priority over general advice because they know exactly how your wound was closed and what structures are underneath it.
Key academic references
Sánchez-Puigdollers A, Toll A, Morgado-Carrasco D. Postoperative Wound Care in Dermatologic Surgery: Update and Narrative Review. Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas. 2024;115:T957–T966.
Early postoperative water exposure does not increase complications in cutaneous surgeries: A randomized, investigator-blinded, controlled trial. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2024.
Shir-Az O, Berl A, Shalom A. Evaluation of Pain After Mohs Micrographic Surgery: A Prospective Study. Dermatologic Surgery. 2022;48:601–605.
Saco M, Golda N. Postoperative Pain Management in Dermatologic Surgery: A Systematic Review. Dermatologic Clinics. 2019;37:341–348.
Khare S, Sharma A, Vinay K. Mastering grafts and flaps in dermatologic surgery: A narrative review. Indian Journal of Dermatology, Venereology and Leprology. 2026;92:476–484.
What to Expect With Skin Cancer Reconstruction. JAMA Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery. Published February 2026.
Gil-Lianes J, et al. Secondary Intention Healing After Mohs Micrographic Surgery: An Updated Review of Classic and Novel Applications, Benefits and Complications. Actas Dermo-Sifiliográficas. 2025;116:511–520.
Schwartzman G, Khachemoune A. Surgical Site Infection After Dermatologic Procedures: Critical Reassessment of Risk Factors and Reappraisal of Rates and Causes. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. 2021;22:503–510.
Ashraf I, et al. Dermatological surgery: an update on suture materials and techniques. Part 1. Clinical and Experimental Dermatology. 2021;46:1400–1410.
ACMS. Post-Operative Care After Mohs Surgery. American College of Mohs Surgery.
This article provides general education about recovery after skin cancer surgery. Individual instructions may be different depending on the cancer, body site, operation and type of wound repair. Follow the postoperative instructions provided by your treating surgeon.