Mole removal serves three primary purposes, explains the Redding Dermatology Medical Group (RDMG). It removes melanoma and moles deemed high-risk for developing into skin cancer. Removal of raised moles remedies chronic irritation from friction or shaving. Other purely cosmetic procedures eliminate undesirable blemishes. The physical characteristics of a mole, the reason for removal and other individual factors determine the appropriate mole removal option.
Shaving
Doctors shave off some small or elevated moles. They apply a local anesthetic and use a scalpel, often lubricated with mineral oil, to remove the mole in layers. After the procedure, a topical antibiotic application protects against infection.
This method, though common and effective, may leave minor imperfections in skin texture and dark pigmentation near the surface of the skin, according to the RDMG. Expect scabbing and redness for about a week after the procedure, and monitor the area for signs of infection. Regrowth of moles can occur. This method also provides samples of a mole for biopsy.
Excision
In cases of suspected or diagnosed melanoma, and with many flat moles, doctors cut moles out along with a surrounding border of normal skin. Your dermatologist determines how large a border to remove. Sometimes excision involves multiple procedures known as "serial excisions," as the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology (AOCD) points out. This removal option carries a higher risk of infection and bleeding than shaving, cautions the RDMG, and requires leaving stitches in for a week. Scarring is typical.
Excision is also performed with cauterization, the burning off of a mole. Instead of stitches, burn-sutures close cauterized wounds. Cauterization doesn't remove pigmentation as deep as scalpel excision, and it may require multiple treatments, according to the San Francisco Plastic Surgery and Laser Center (SF-PSLC). This method doesn't provide mole samples for biopsy.
Laser Surgery
Laser surgery is another option for mole removal. It doesn't allow for biopsy, as the AOCD points out, eliminating it as an option in cases of skin cancer concerns. Lasers burn away the moles, typically in one to three sessions. They don't, however, penetrate deeply enough to remove elevated moles, as the SF-PSLC explains. Laser treatments don't require stitches; the wound forms a scab that generally falls off within a week, followed by a few weeks of lingering redness. Scarring is minimal, if it occurs at all.
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