Contact
Worried about a mole or skin discoloration that looks unusual or has suddenly changed its appearance? Or perhaps you have a mole you know is benign, but its location makes you feel uncomfortable and self-conscious?
Skin moles are very common, but they can sometimes be a nuisance—and they can even become malignant over time. Eliminate your worries and get compassionate dermatology treatment and care for bothersome moles with quality, caring mole removal from Midtown Surgical & Skin Institute.
At a glance, it can be difficult for the average person to tell whether a mole is merely cosmetically unappealing or whether it is malignant. That is what our office is here to handle for you.
We provide you with clear guidance on the condition of any moles or other skin issues you have, and knowledgeable dermatological care that you can count on to fit your specific needs. Should you need skin surgery, you can trust us to handle your care with professional cosmetic surgery techniques that ensure you get top-notch results with minimal scarring.
Our office provides a comforting, peaceful environment that is less stressful to navigate than a hospital, and we provide personalized attention from a team you can get to know and trust for all your skin care.
You may have heard or be wondering whether it is possible to deal with a problematic mole at home. The fact is, moles should always be assessed by a trained dermatologist, and if needed, a medically performed incision should be made in your doctor’s office..
Myth: You can remove a mole yourself at home with scissor or a razor.
Fact: Mole removal should only be performed by a medical professional in-office. Attempting to do it yourself can lead to bad scarring, infection, and other problems. And if the mole is cancerous, you risk not removing all the malignant parts — meaning you are still at risk for worsening skin cancer.
Myth: You can use common home ingredients such as apple cider vinegar to remove a mole.
Fact: Moles do not fade or fall off if exposed to common home ingredients. It will not work to use items like garlic, vinegar, banana peels, baking soda mixtures, hydrogen peroxide, aloe vera, or various essential oils to handle a mole.
Myth: There are over-the-counter treatments that can remove a mole.
Fact: Over-the-counter creams are not effective treatments for moles that need to be removed. Some may even be unsafe for your skin, leading to potential infections and scarring.
The right solution? Visit our office for a consultation and an assessment from a professionally trained dermatology specialist who can tell you exactly what treatment you need and ensure your mole removal is performed safely.
The exact cost of your mole removal procedure will vary depending on your individual situation, including the mole’s size, where it is located, whether you are having just one mole removed or several, and other factors. We will be happy to discuss this with you in more detail during your consultation and health care planning with us.
Whether your procedure is performed for cosmetic reasons or to address a cancerous mole, the surgical removal of a mole may leave a mark. How visible a scar is will depend on several factors, such as your age, how well your body heals, and the location of the mole. Another important factor is the type of procedure you have, as a shave excision is less likely to cause a noticeable scar than surgical excision. Our office can suggest topical treatments and other methods to help reduce the visibility of any scars after your mole is excised.
Moles are round, dark skin marks that are caused when a group of pigmented skin cells (called melanocytes) grow together in a tight cluster, causing them to look darker than the rest of your skin. Moles usually appear during childhood or adolescence.
There are two ways that a mole may be removed. The first option is known as a shave excision, which involves scraping or cutting off the portion of the mole that extends above the surface of your skin. This procedure is most often performed either for cosmetic reasons or to test a portion of the mole. The second option is a surgical excision, which is performed when the entire mole, including parts below the surface, must be removed, which is the case with cancerous moles. Surgical excision requires cutting into the skin to ensure any and all portions of the mole are thoroughly removed.
Moles often appear in places that are visible to others, such as on the face. They can also appear in places where they feel uncomfortable, such as on the neck near your shirt collar. This can be inconvenient, annoying, and even embarrassing for you. Even if a mole is benign, you may still find it appealing to remove a bothersome, unattractive mole so that you can feel more confident about your appearance. And since a mole removal is generally a minor procedure, it can be a simple way to boost your confidence in your appearance.
Moles that show signs they may be unhealthy should be tested. (See the signs of a potentially harmful mole listed above.) If the mole looks suspicious, appears to be cancerous, or is confirmed cancerous through a test, it should be removed by a trained medical professional.
Once a mole is removed, a period of 2-3 weeks is required for the healing process. During this time, you will engage in some initial care to prevent any possible infection and keep the incision site clean. We can also provide you with guidance on how to reduce potential scarring.
Mole removal is a simple, quick process that is normally pain-free. Before the procedure, your doctor will give you a local anesthetic to numb your skin. Then, the mole will be removed, and if needed, stitches will be made. After the anesthetic wears off, you may feel some tenderness and some mild itching for a day or two.
Whether or not your health insurance covers mole removal depends on your specific policy, as well as whether the removal is considered medically necessary, as in the case of cancer. Tests of suspicious moles are also likely to be covered. Our office and your insurer can help you determine whether your specific procedure will be covered.
Depending on your diagnosis, we will work with you to choose the best treatment. The first and most important question becomes: Is the mole malignant, or is it benign? Here is how we assess your mole.
Most moles appear as small spots on the skin, usually round or oval in shape. They are often brown or tan, though they may also appear black, blue, red, or pink. They may be smooth and flat or slightly raised. Some moles may have hair growing from them. The average mole is less than one-quarter inch (¼”) in diameter—about the size of a pencil eraser or smaller.
Since they develop as we age, one of the keys to telling if a mole is benign is when it appeared on your body (the younger you are, the more likely it is to be non-cancerous) and how consistent it is with the above description of a mole. The more irregular it is, or the more it changes over time, the more likely it is to be cancerous.
A professional dermatologist or skin specialist can help assess the mole and perform tests to find out, or remove the questionable mole outright.
Signs of melanoma and other skin cancers can often be seen in how your moles appear or change over time. One or more of these “ABCDE” signs mean your mole should be tested to see if it is cancerous:
Malignant moles may show all of these symptoms, or just one or two, so it is best to have any concerning areas of your skin assessed by a doctor as soon as possible.
Moles can be located on any part of the body. They often show up in visible areas that are easy to spot, such as on the arms, legs, hands, feet, torso and face. But they may also occur in harder-to-spot regions of your skin, such as the ears, scalp, bottom of the feet, underneath nails, or between fingers and toes.
Most people have between 10 to 40 moles on their skin, which typically develop in childhood and adolescence. Sometimes, they occur during a period of hormonal changes, such as during pregnancy. Any mole you are uncertain about, you should have checked by a trained dermatologist.
Recovering from mole removal is generally an easy process. Once the mole is gone, you will care for the wound according to our office’s instructions. You will likely be asked to::
In general, recovering from a mole removal takes about 2-3 weeks. The first day or two are the most sensitive, and when you are most likely to feel a little tenderness and itching at the incision site. After that, the site will begin to heal as your skin repairs itself. Your age, general overall health, and skin sensitivity can impact how quickly you heal. A larger mole will take longer to heal than a smaller one, because the incision site is larger and more skin will be involved.
The appearance of your skin during and after the healing process will depend on several factors as well—such as how carefully you follow the after-procedure instructions, how large the incision is, whether you require stitches after the removal, and how easily your skin usually recovers from cuts. You can minimize potential scarring by following the instructions for your recovery and applying scar-reducing ointments as instructed.
In general, patients are very pleased with how their skin looks once the healing process is complete. If you have any questions about this part of the recovery, we will be happy to discuss them with you to alleviate any concerns you may have.
Get peace of mind and take control of your life with your trusted team at Midtown Surgical & Skin Institute. Set up a consultation visit today!