Removing a skin cancer using surgery (whether Mohs micrographic surgery or local excision) will result in a wound on the skin and/or surrounding structures. Finding the most appropriate way to repair this wound depends on the location of the wound, the availability of spare tissue around the area, any free margins that may be affected during surgery (such as the eyelids and the mouth), blood supply to the area and cosmetic considerations particularly on the face.

Most times, the doctor will stitch the edges of the wound together. This is known as primary closure. There are usually two layers of stitches: one deeper inside the wound which is absorbed by the body over time, and the other row of stitches on the surface of the wound to bring the edges together which would generally need to be removed after a specified period. Sometimes, the wound can be left to heal on its own over weeks with the use of dressings and this is known as secondary intention healing.

For larger wounds, grafts or flaps may be needed. A skin graft is a portion of skin that has been completely detached from another area and stitched over the wound. On the other hand, a skin flap is usually a nearby portion of skin that is partially detached from its original site and moved to cover the wound before being stitched into place.

Flaps can be classified based on the type of movement involved. Sliding flaps are stretched from nearby areas to cover the wound. These include advancement flaps (including island pedicle flaps) and rotation flaps (where tissue is moved along an arc). Lifting flaps are partially detached from a different area, lifted up and moved over an intervening area, then stitched into the wound. Examples are transposition flaps (skin from nearby areas) and interpolated flaps (skin moved from further away and the flap left in place for a few weeks to build up blood supply to the wound before removing excess tissue).

Repairing the wound may be done by the doctor who removed the skin cancer but in more complex cases, a doctor from another team may be needed to perform this step of the surgery.