Skin cancer and Mohs surgery clinic marketing: cure rates, credentials, skin checks and sunscreen

A person who books a skin cancer visit has found a spot that changed, or has been told by a primary care doctor or a dermatologist that a biopsy came back positive. They search for the treatment by name, and the first pages they find use words like “cure rate”, “gold standard” and “Mohs surgeon”. That is the setting a skin cancer clinic or a Mohs surgery practice markets into. Can a page quote a cure rate? Who may be called a Mohs surgeon or fellowship trained? Can a free skin check event promise to catch cancer early? What may a practice say about the sunscreen it sells at the front desk? This guide covers what the federal patient pages, the board and college pages, the sunscreen labeling rule and the federal advertising statutes say, and how to turn that into copy and ads.

Three related topics have their own guides and are not repeated here. Medical and cosmetic paths, cleared and approved device wording, prescription treatment ads and skincare product claims are covered in our guide to dermatology practice marketing. Survival figures, cancer patient stories and clinical trial wording are covered in our guide to cancer center and oncology advertising. Screening events outside the office are covered in our guide to health fairs and free screening events. This guide covers what is specific to skin cancer and Mohs surgery.

What the patient pages say about skin cancer and Mohs surgery

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) publishes PDQ summaries for patients, and MedlinePlus, from the National Library of Medicine, publishes the topic and encyclopedia pages a careful patient reads before a skin cancer visit. They say:

• The NCI Skin Cancer Treatment summary (updated May 1, 2025) says basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma are the types that form in the basal and squamous cells of the skin, that melanoma is less frequent than either, and that actinic keratosis is not cancer but can change into squamous cell carcinoma.
• It lists signs to check: a sore that does not heal, and areas of skin that are raised, smooth, shiny and pearly, firm and scar-like, raised and red or reddish-brown, or scaly, bleeding or crusty.
• It names the treatments in use: surgery (simple excision, Mohs micrographic surgery, shave excision, curettage and electrodesiccation, cryosurgery and others), radiation therapy, chemotherapy, photodynamic therapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, chemical peel and other drug therapy. The choice depends on the type of cancer and, for squamous cell carcinoma, the stage.
• It describes Mohs surgery this way: the tumor is cut from the skin in thin layers, each layer is viewed through a microscope, and layers continue to be removed until no more cancer cells are seen. It says the method removes as little normal tissue as possible and can be used for skin cancer on the face, fingers or genitals and skin cancer without a clear border.
• The MedlinePlus encyclopedia article on Mohs micrographic surgery (review date August 2, 2025) says the surgery takes place in the surgeon’s office with the patient awake, that a large tumor or a repair can take two visits, that wounds may heal on their own or need stitches, a graft or a flap, and that risks include infection, nerve damage, raised scars and bleeding.
• The NCI Melanoma Treatment summary (updated May 16, 2025) lists mole changes to check with a doctor and gives the ABCDE features: asymmetry, border, color, diameter and evolving.
• The MedlinePlus Skin Cancer topic page (last updated August 9, 2025) tells readers to have a doctor check suspicious skin markings and changes in the way the skin looks.

Two points from these pages shape skin cancer marketing. First, Mohs surgery is one of several treatments, chosen by the type, site and features of the cancer, so a page that presents it as the answer for every spot says more than the federal pages do. Second, the patient pages describe risks, scars and repair options in plain words, and a clinic page that leaves them out reads as a sales page next to them.

Cure rates, gold standard and best claims

Under 15 U.S.C. 45, deceptive acts or practices in commerce are unlawful, and 15 U.S.C. 52 prohibits false advertisements likely to induce the purchase of drugs, devices, services or cosmetics. The FTC staff Health Products Compliance Guidance says claims about the health benefits or safety of health-related products require competent and reliable scientific evidence, and that an advertiser is responsible for the claims a reasonable reader takes away, including implied ones.

Cure rate figures are the hard case. The MedlinePlus Mohs article states a cure rate figure for the procedure, and professional bodies publish their own. A figure from a published source describes the patients in that source, not the patients of your clinic. If a page quotes one, use the source’s exact words, name the source and its date, and do not present it as your own result. Do not publish your own rates unless the data, the method and the patients counted are on file and your counsel has reviewed them.

Phrases that need rewriting:

• “Highest cure rate of any treatment”. Quote the figure with its source, or describe what the procedure does: it removes the cancer in layers and checks each layer under a microscope.
• “Our cure rate” with a figure. Use it only with data on file for your own patients, the method and the time frame, reviewed before it runs.
• “The gold standard for every skin cancer”. The NCI lists several treatments chosen by type and stage. Say which cancers and sites the clinic treats with Mohs surgery.
• “Scarless” or “no scar”. MedlinePlus lists scarring and repair options. Write “designed to remove as little healthy skin as possible”.
• “Painless”. MedlinePlus says the skin is numbed. Describe that instead.
• “Best Mohs surgeon in [Town]”. A superiority claim needs proof. Name credentials instead.

Mohs surgeon, fellowship trained and board certified

The American Board of Medical Specialties page on the American Board of Dermatology lists Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery as a subspecialty of dermatology. It describes a specialist in it as expert in managing specific types of high-risk and complex skin cancers best suited to micrographic surgery, and in reconstructive procedures to repair the surgical defects afterward. The American College of Mohs Surgery fellowship training page says a physician can apply for a Micrographic Surgery and Dermatologic Oncology fellowship after a dermatology residency, and that programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in the U.S. are recognized by the college.

In copy, keep these apart. “Board certified in dermatology” names the specialty certificate. “Board certified in Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery” names the subspecialty certificate, and is accurate only for a physician who holds it. “Fellowship trained in Mohs surgery” names training, and is accurate only for a physician who completed an accredited fellowship. “Member of” a college names membership, not a certificate. Check each one before it goes on a bio page, an ad or a profile, and write each as held. Our guide to physician bio pages and board certified claims covers how to check them. Where physician assistants or nurse practitioners see patients for skin checks, name their roles and degrees; what each may do is set state by state.

Free skin checks and screening events

A free skin check day is a familiar promotion for a skin cancer clinic. The NCI Skin Cancer Screening summary (updated May 15, 2025) says skin exams to screen for skin cancer have not been shown to decrease the number of deaths from the disease, that there is not enough evidence to know if screening the population lowers death rates, and that regular skin checks by a doctor are important for people who have already had skin cancer. It lists the risks: false-negative and false-positive results, biopsies that can scar, and cancers found that would never have caused harm.

That shapes the wording. Invite people to have a spot looked at and to learn the signs to watch for. Do not write that a free check will save a life, catch every cancer or rule out cancer. Say what happens after an abnormal finding: a biopsy may be advised, and the person can choose where to have it done. If the event is free, say what is free and what is not, so nobody is surprised by a bill for a biopsy. The health fair guide covers sign-up forms, consent and follow-up.

Sunscreen and products at the front desk

When a clinic sells sunscreen, the label is the manufacturer’s, but shelf signs, product pages and social posts are the clinic’s own advertising. The FDA page Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun (content current as of October 16, 2026) says there is no such thing as waterproof sunscreen, that products labeled water resistant must be tested and state how long they stay effective when swimming or sweating, that broad spectrum products help protect against both UVA and UVB radiation, and that SPF relates to the amount of sun exposure, not the time spent in the sun. The labeling section at 21 CFR 201.327 names “sunblock”, “sweatproof” and “waterproof” as claims that would be false or misleading on sunscreen products.

Phrases that need rewriting:

• “Waterproof sunscreen” or “sweatproof”. Use the label’s own water resistance wording.
• “Our sunblock”. Call it sunscreen.
• “All-day protection”. The FDA page tells people to reapply as the label directs.
• “Prevents skin cancer”. Use the label’s own indication wording, and only for a product whose label carries it.

Signs to see a doctor and aftercare lines

A skin cancer page that only sells procedures leaves out the readers who need to book a visit. Add a short section with the NCI signs: a sore that does not heal, a spot that bleeds or crusts, and a mole that changes in size, shape or color, has irregular edges or more than one color, itches, oozes or bleeds. Tell readers to have a doctor check any change. On aftercare pages, keep the surgeon’s own instructions, list the risks MedlinePlus names, give the office number for questions, and add one line for emergencies: if you have a sudden severe symptom, call 911.

Patient stories and photos

A face before and after a repair makes a strong ad, and results vary with the size and site of the cancer and the repair. Our guides to testimonials and before and after photos and to patient photo consent cover the full rules. The short version: where the practice is a covered entity, a photo or story used to market the practice needs a signed authorization under 45 CFR 164.508. A full-face photo identifies the patient. Under 16 CFR 255.2, an ad that shows one patient’s result on a key attribute is likely to be read as what others will generally achieve, unless the practice has substantiation for that or clearly and conspicuously discloses what people can generally expect. Name the procedure and the repair, and say that results vary.

Illustration: two ads for the same skin cancer clinic

Illustration: an ad reads “The gold standard. Our cure rate beats every other treatment. Scarless Mohs surgery by [Town]’s best Mohs surgeon. Free skin checks save lives.” It presents one treatment as right for every case, claims a cure rate without a source, promises no scar, makes an unsubstantiated superiority claim, and says a free check will save a life when the NCI says screening has not been shown to lower deaths.

Illustration: a second ad for the same clinic reads “Biopsy showed basal or squamous cell skin cancer? [Practice name] offers Mohs surgery with [Physician name], MD, board certified in dermatology and in Micrographic Dermatologic Surgery. The cancer is removed in thin layers and each layer is checked under a microscope, to remove as little healthy skin as possible. We explain the repair and the risks before you book.” It names the procedure and the credential as held, describes the method in the NCI’s terms, and mentions risks.

Checklist before a skin cancer campaign goes live

• Condition and procedure pages match the NCI and MedlinePlus pages, with links and dates.
• Any cure rate figure is quoted in the source’s words, with the source and date, and is not presented as the clinic’s own result.
• No page or ad says scarless, painless, gold standard for every skin cancer or best surgeon.
• Board certification, subspecialty certification, fellowship and membership are written as held and checked.
• Skin check events invite people to have a spot looked at, do not promise to catch or rule out cancer, and say what is free.
• Sunscreen signs and posts do not say waterproof, sweatproof or sunblock.
• Signs to see a doctor and the 911 line are on the page.
• Each photo or story used in marketing has a signed authorization and says results vary.

How we help

We build websites, local search, Google Ads and AI front desk tools for independent practices and health businesses, including dermatology and Mohs surgery practices. For a skin cancer clinic, that means condition and procedure pages that follow the NCI and MedlinePlus pages with links and dates, bio pages with credentials written as held, ads without unsourced cure rates or scarless promises, and booking forms that keep biopsy results and health history away from tracking tools. We do not decide which treatments are offered or how care is delivered; your clinicians, your counsel and your state boards do. Our tools are built with HIPAA in mind. We confirm in writing what a BAA covers before any patient information flows through a tool, and if it is not covered, we do not route patient information through it. We are not a healthcare provider and we do not give legal or medical advice. We do not sell lead lists and we do not pay for referrals. For the wider rules, see our healthcare marketing rules hub.

Sources

• National Cancer Institute: Skin Cancer Treatment (PDQ), Patient Version (updated May 1, 2025)
• National Cancer Institute: Skin Cancer Screening (PDQ), Patient Version (updated May 15, 2025)
• National Cancer Institute: Melanoma Treatment (PDQ), Patient Version (updated May 16, 2025)
• MedlinePlus: Skin Cancer (last updated August 9, 2025)
• MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Mohs micrographic surgery (review date August 2, 2025)
• American Board of Medical Specialties: American Board of Dermatology
• American College of Mohs Surgery: Fellowship Training
• FDA: Sunscreen: How to Help Protect Your Skin from the Sun (content current as of October 16, 2026)
• 21 CFR 201.327: Over-the-counter sunscreen drug products; required labeling
• 15 U.S.C. 45: Unfair methods of competition unlawful
• 15 U.S.C. 52: Dissemination of false advertisements
• FTC: Health Products Compliance Guidance (December 2022)
• 16 CFR 255.2: Consumer endorsements
• 45 CFR 164.508: Uses and disclosures for which an authorization is required

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