Private Mohs Micrographic Surgery in the UK – Performed by Dr Toby Nelson at Wood MediSpa, Devon
Mohs micrographic surgery is the gold-standard technique for the treatment of certain types of skin cancer—especially those located on the face, ears, and other cosmetically sensitive or high-risk areas. If you are looking for private Mohs surgery in the UK, Dr Toby Nelson offers expert care from a world-class private facility in Devon.
What Is Mohs Micrographic Surgery?
Mohs surgery is a specialised technique that allows the surgeon to remove skin cancers layer by layer, examining 100% of the margin under a microscope in real time. This ensures:
- Complete removal of the cancer
- Maximum preservation of healthy skin
- Minimal scarring, particularly important for facial areas
Originally developed in the 1930s by Dr Frederic Mohs, this method is considered the most accurate way to remove certain basal cell carcinomas (BCC) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), especially when:
- The tumour is located on the nose, eyelids, lips, or ears
- The cancer has recurred after previous treatment
- It is large, aggressive, or in young patients
Unlike standard surgery, where only a small percentage of the margin is assessed (days or weeks later), Mohs allows immediate examination of the entire tumour margin, and further tissue removal—if needed—is carried out during the same visit.
Why Choose Private Mohs Surgery?
For many patients, the decision to seek private Mohs surgery is driven by:
- Long NHS waiting times
- The desire to choose the timing of surgery for optimal healing and convenience
- A preference for bespoke care and superior surroundings
While Mohs surgery is available on the NHS for eligible patients, access can be delayed and unpredictable. Having facial surgery—such as for skin cancers on the nose—often requires weeks to fully heal, especially when reconstruction (skin flaps or grafts) is needed. Planning around life, work, or special events becomes challenging.
World-Class Private Mohs Surgery – Only at Wood MediSpa, Devon
Dr Toby Nelson is one of the UK’s few fellowship-trained Mohs surgeons, and now offers private Mohs micrographic surgery exclusively at Wood MediSpa, a purpose-built surgical facility located just off the A30 near Okehampton in Devon.
Why patients travel from across the UK to Wood MediSpa:
- Dedicated Mohs theatre and laboratory on-site for same-day analysis and treatment
- Set in 30 acres of peaceful gardens — only 25 minutes from Exeter, 1 hour from Plymouth, and easily accessible from across the UK
- Freshly prepared meals, serene private spaces, and discreet aftercare
- Planned overnight accommodation (coming soon) for you or your loved one
- Multidisciplinary support from on-site plastic surgeons if required
This state-of-the-art medical facility—housed within a beautifully restored Arts and Crafts manor—offers a calm, comfortable, and private alternative to the hospital environment.
Meet Your Surgeon: Dr Toby Nelson
Dr Nelson is a UK consultant dermatologist with advanced surgical training in skin cancer treatment and reconstruction. He is one of only a handful of surgeons in Europe accredited by the American College of Mohs Surgery (ACMS)—the international gold standard for Mohs training.
His fellowship in Mohs micrographic surgery, dermatopathology and advanced reconstruction was completed under Dr Paul Salmon and Dr Neil Mortimer in New Zealand—world leaders in skin cancer surgery.
In addition to his private work, Dr Nelson established and Led the NHS Mohs service in Plymouth for 6 years, receiving referrals from across the South West, including Cornwall, Exeter, Taunton, and Torbay.
What to Expect During Mohs Surgery
- Initial Consultation – Thorough review and discussion of the cancer type and options.
- Surgery Day – Your skin cancer is precisely removed with a small margin of normal tissue.
- On-site Laboratory Analysis – Dr Nelson reviews all tissue margins immediately.
- Further Stages (if needed) – If cancer remains, more tissue is removed in the affected area only.
- Reconstruction – Performed the same day, often using local flaps or grafts, with aesthetic outcomes in mind.
- Follow-up & Recovery – You’ll receive personalised aftercare and close monitoring to support healing.
Mohs is meticulous, time-intensive, and technically demanding—but it delivers unrivalled results. It’s especially valuable when accuracy, safety, and cosmetic outcome matter most.
Considering Private Mohs Surgery?
If you’re on an NHS waiting list, or simply want faster access, more control, and exceptional care, private Mohs surgery with Dr Toby Nelson may be right for you.
Whats different about Mohs surgery to standard excision biopsies?
Mohs surgery allows 100% of the excised tissues margins to be assessed under microscope on the same day as your operation. If the area of skin removed shows any cancer remaining, you can have further surgery that same day to completely remove the cancer. In traditional surgery less than 1% of the tumour margin is assessed and this takes places days to weeks following the operation. By this point, if it shows that the cancer was not fully removed, the patient then needs to have far more extensive surgery.
During Mohs surgery the cancer is carefully marked out before being removed with a 2mm rim of normal skin. Dr Nelson then carefully scores the specimen to relax the edges of the excised skin down into the same plane as the base. This turns a 3-dimensional structure into a 2-dimensional structure. Once the sides and base of the excised skin has been fully ‘relaxed’ it is processed so the entire peripheral margin and the deep margin are visualised in a single plane using a high powered microscope. This allows for examination of 100% of the margin. Any cancer cells found are carefully mapped back to the patient. The patient is returned to the operating room. More anaesthetic is injected before a second stage is performed to precisely remove only the area of skin involved. This process is repeated until the entire cancer has been removed. You therefore keep as much healthy tissue as possible, which is so important for cosmetic reasons on your face and neck.
In conventional surgery a bread-loafing method is used to examine the cancer. The excised cancer is sliced up like a loaf of bread. Only a handful of slices will be assessed often days to weeks after the operation.
The huge advantages of Mohs surgery are reflected in the price. Mohs takes longer to perform but in Dr Nelson’s opinion if you are going to treat a skin cancer it is better to treat it properly first time rather than try to cut corners and end up with a bigger problem later on.
Who performs Mohs micrographic surgery?
Dermatologists with additional advanced surgical training perform Mohs micrographic surgery. This is usually in the form of a dedicated fellowship. Dr Nelson is one of the UK’s only surgeons to have undergone vigorous International Fellowship surgical training in Mohs micrographic surgery, dermatopathology and surgical reconstruction. As one of only a handful of dermatological surgeons in Europe who are accredited of the American College of Mohs Surgery (www.mohscollege.org) you will be in safe hands.
Dr Toby Nelson is one of only a handful of Mohs surgeons in Europe to have completed a fellowship affiliated to the ACMS. He owes this prestigious accreditation to his close friends, trainers and mentors Dr Paul Salmon and Neil Mortimer of the Skin Centre, New Zealand
Before & After
BOOK A CONSULTATION
For Wood MediSpa Okehampton please call: 01837 516629 | For The Duchy Hospital, Truro please call Claire on 07812 095769 or email: enquiries@tobynelsondermatology.com. A referral from your GP is preferred.