Arizona Mohs SurgeryAnir Dhir MD, FACMS

Quality, Experience, and Compassion

Mohs micrographic surgery specialist Mohs micrographic surgery specialist

Who We Are

Arizona Mohs Surgery, PLLC, is a dermatology practice dedicated to the surgical treatment of skin cancer.

Dr. Anir Dhir specializes in Mohs micrographic surgery and the most advanced reconstructive techniques. The Arizona Mohs Surgery team is committed to providing high quality care in a modern, safe, and comfortable environment. Dr. Dhir and his experienced staff look forward to caring for you.

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What Is Mohs Surgery?

The most advanced treatment for skin cancer.

What procedures and technology do you utilize to reduce the risk of Covid transmission?

Arizona Mohs Surgery is committed to providing the safest environment for both patients and staff. For decades, surgical facilities have been at the forefront of fastidious infection control practices due to challenges such as Hepatitis and HIV. To combat newer airborne diseases such as Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2), we employ Global Plasma Solution’s NPBI air purification technology. This state-of-the-art system is utilized by prestigious medical institutions such as the Mayo Clinic, as well as Google, Harvard University, and the White House. Pathogen reduction testing results may be viewed here. Our six procedure rooms eliminate the typical “recovery room” utilized by many Mohs practices, where patients are placed in a communal setting while waiting on slides to be processed by the lab.

What types of skin cancers are treated with Mohs surgery?

Mohs surgery is generally reserved for skin cancers occurring in more cosmetically and functionally critical areas such as the face, ears, scalp, neck, hands, feet, and shins. Larger and more aggressive cancers in non-facial locations, as well as “recurrent’ tumors (those that have failed other therapies) are also appropriate candidates for Mohs surgery. Mohs surgery is also the best approach for skin cancers that are poorly defined, arise in a scar, grow rapidly, or occur in a patient with a compromised immune system. Mohs surgery is generally not needed for thin, small cancers in non-critical locations because these can be successfully managed with simpler techniques.

Am I in good hands?

Dr. Dhir was the single busiest Mohs surgeon in Kentucky for many years prior to opening Arizona Mohs Surgery. He has performed over 37,000 Mohs procedures with a cure rate greater than 99.5% and an infection rate of only 0.2%. He is a nationally recognized expert in both Mohs surgery and facial reconstruction.

What is the difference between Mohs surgery and other frozen sections?

In Mohs surgery, one physician functions as both surgeon and pathologist. If a physician removes a skin cancer and sends the specimen to another lab or pathologist for analysis, he or she is not performing Mohs surgery for two reasons:

  1. a single physician is not correlating the clinical and microscopic pictures for maximum accuracy, and
  2. only a small portion of the margins is examined instead of 100% of the true 3-D circumferential margin as with Mohs surgery.
How long will it take?

Most patients spend 2 to 4 hours with us. Much of that is “downtime” where you rest comfortably while waiting on our team to prepare frozen Mohs sections and read the slides to ensure clear surgical margins. We encourage patients to bring reading materials to pass the time, and we also provide Wi-Fi access so that you may watch a movie or surf the internet on your own laptop computer, phone, or iPad. Please note that surgeries for larger, neglected, aggressive, recurrent, or mid-facial cancers may take longer, particularly if multiple stages are needed to clear the tumor and/or more advanced reconstruction is needed.

The majority of wound closures are performed in our office. Occasionally, we may need to utilize an outside surgical specialist to perform the post-Mohs reconstruction if the tumor turns out to be larger, deeper, or more complex than initially anticipated. If an outside surgical specialist is needed, the reconstruction may take place on the same day or on subsequent days. Please note that it is safe to delay the reconstruction, and that it’s possible that hospitalization may be needed for extensive reconstructions.

Do you perform Mohs surgery for melanoma?

The majority of Mohs surgeons and dermatopathologists believe that permanent (formalin-fixed) tissue sections allow more accurate margin analysis for melanoma than Mohs frozen sections, even if additional MART-1 immunostaining is done. This is not an issue for basal and squamous cell carcinomas, where frozen sections are universally accepted and allow more efficient, same day analysis. Therefore, we follow current NCCN surgical margin guidelines which state "the gold standard for histologic assessment of excised melanoma is use of permanent sections". Our specimens are evaluated within 24 - 48 hours by a board-certified dermatopathologist. NCCN guidelines also suggest that the surgeon consider delaying closure of melanoma excisions until margin analysis has been completed if a flap or graft may be required. This means that some melanoma surgeries may require 2 or more visits to ensure maximum accuracy.

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Meet Doctor Dhir

Photo of Doctor Anir Dhir

Anir Dhir, MD, FACMS

Anir Dhir, M.D., is a fellowship-trained Mohs micrographic surgeon who is dedicated to his patients’ well-being. Since 1999, Dr. Dhir has performed over 37,000 Mohs surgeries with a cure rate of 99.5%. He is a Life Member of the American College of Mohs Surgery and has been repeatedly elected by his colleagues to Best Doctors in America.

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See What Our Clients Are Saying

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The concern and compassion shown during my surgery will be forever appreciated.

—AK
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I have worked at a hospital for ten years so I have a real insight to health care facilities. The minute I walked in your door for surgery, the better I felt. I would rate my experience with your staff as outstanding. The people who work at your facility are very good at what they do. I was treated by smiling, friendly faces who loved their job and love their patients. The whole staff were very professional but most importantly were very concerned and caring towards me as their patient.

—WY
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I just wanted to let you know how much your kindness touched my heart. Thank you!

—NS
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I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate all you've done for me. Since my birthmark is gone, I feel like a new person. I can't stop looking at myself. You and your staff have been so wonderful to me. I just wanted to let you know how much it means to me to have gotten to know all of you. Thanks.

—HS (following three staged surgeries to remove a giant birthmark measuring 8 x 6 inches on the left breast)
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Just wanted to drop you a note to let you know that I'm very pleased with the outcome and appreciative of your superb skill as a surgeon.

—SP
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Doctor Dhir and staff, I appreciated the high level of professional and personal care. Explanation of treatment, pathology, and care was thorough, appropriate, and excellently delivered. Thanks!

—DK
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A young lady at the entrance greeted me in such a friendly manner that the expression on her face, her posture, and her words caught my attention. The instructions are also striking: "you may bathe", "please try to stop smoking", "we would prefer", "please perform a few days", "please be patient as you heal." And finally, "We wish you a speedy recovery." These instructions come from doctors and nurses who are authorities in dermatology. Yet, they are delightfully modest.

—W
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Dr. Dhir, I couldn't have asked for a better outcome.  Your skills, as well as that ever-important bedside manner are unparalleled.  Thank you all again!

—MH (nurse practitioner)
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Fred so enjoyed visiting with you.  He thought you all were pretty spectacular.

—FB
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I am truly blessed to have you in my life. Thank you so much for your special attention.

—AS