What type of moles can be removed

Then, depending on the type of mole and the removal technique required, your doctor will excise, burn, or freeze the area. You may feel minimal pressure, but you should feel no discomfort thanks to the anesthetic. Removal usually takes less than 10 minutes. Once your doctor has completely removed your mole, they may place several stitches to help the healing process. They will bandage the treated area and give you instructions to follow during your recovery. However, you may choose to have days of social downtime if your mole was removed from a noticeable area.

You may notice some mild tenderness in the treated area for the first days after your mole removal. This is normal and typically subsides as the skin begins to heal. You should plan to keep the treatment site clean and covered with a bandage for days to protect the area.

After this time, you can remove the bandage and continue to keep the area clean and moisturized. Your doctor will inspect the area weeks after your appointment to check on your healing progress. Removing a mole, especially a cancerous or pre-cancerous mole that can require a deeper excision, comes with the possibility of scarring. However, there are several ways you can help your skin heal and minimize scarring. First, you should avoid touching or stretching the treated area as much as possible to keep the skin tight and undisturbed as it heals.

You should also avoid the sun, which can damage the healing area, and always wear sunscreen when you spend time outside. Once about 2 weeks have passed and any stitches are removed, you can gently massage the scar, being careful not to disturb any scab which has formed. Using gentle pressure and a nourishing lotion can help invigorate the skin and encourage collagen production, which aids in healing. Finally, once your skin is fully healing—which can take up to 1 year after treatment—one of our doctors would be happy to help you decide on a skin rejuvenating treatment that could further minimize and fade any scar which develops.

Most treated sites heal completely in less than a month, although a larger or deeper incision could take weeks to heal. After this time, you should continue to protect the area from the sun and may wish to explore scar fading treatments. However, the vast majority of our patients find that any scar created by removal fades naturally over the first year as the skin heals.

Once your final results are visible, you should see no evidence of your mole. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect.

How to Remove Moles. Home treatments Harmful home treatments See a doctor What to do Why a mole may need to be removed Moles are common skin growths. Are there effective ways to remove moles at home? Why home removal is harmful. When to see a doctor. The bottom line. Read this next. What Are Skin Moles? Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. Apple Cider Vinegar for Mole Removal. Medically reviewed by Gerhard Whitworth, R. Itchy Mole. Medically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D.

Mole on Your Nose. Painful Moles and Skin Changes. Medically reviewed by Karen Gill, M. With this method, the mole is cut out with a scalpel, along with a small amount of skin surrounding the area. Cutting out these moles usually requires a few stitches, resulting in a small scar that fades over time. Surgical excisions are especially vital in diagnosing aggressive types of skin cancers like melanoma.

It allows your dermatologist to completely remove the mole, and they provide a large sample for the pathologist to biopsy and obtain the correct diagnosis.

Skin Cancer Specialists, P. To learn more about mole removal, or to schedule your consultation at Skin Cancer Specialists, P. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Removing benign moles can sometimes be done by your primary care doctor. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons handle more complicated cases. The best method to remove a non-cancerous mole depends on the type, size and location of the mole.

A physician will often use one of these mole removal methods:. Surgical excision is effective in removing moles that have a deep base. A scalpel, laser or another instrument is used to remove the mole. Stitches are used to close the wound. In surgical shaving, the mole is shaved off the surface of the skin.