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Guide To Cosmetic Surgery - Mole Removal

Mole removal surgery

Moles, cysts, warts and skin tags are a common feature for a great many people. But, they are not a welcome feature and many people are self-conscious or uncomfortable with these.

Moles are usually benign (non-cancerous) in nature and also include freckles and brown or black wart like spots. The main issue with these is that of skin cancer. If you notice any changes in your moles such as itching, bleeding, mottling (different coloured areas) or have changed in size, shape and colour then contact your GP immediately.

Warts are rough, scaly growths which are often found on the hands, fingers and feet. They can grow and spread if left untreated.

Skin tags are soft, small skin flaps which tend to occur around the chest, abdomen and face.

There are a variety of treatments available for removing moles, cysts and lesions which include surgery, skin biopsy, diathermy and freezing.

Treatment options

Skin tags and warts can be removed using cryotherapy. This process uses liquid nitrogen to freeze the area of skin to be treated. This can result in swelling and blisters and there is a tiny risk of infection. A change in skin pigmentation is another possible side effect.

A skin biopsy involves the surgeon removing a lesion to check if it is benign or cancerous. It is usually sent to a special laboratory for testing. The area of skin where the biopsy was taken from is either stitched or left to heal.

Moles can be removed by several different methods. These include a combination of surgery and laser treatment and diathermy. The laser/surgery combo involves injecting the patient with a local anaesthetic before using a special ‘dermablade’ to remove the offending mole. This will leave a small wound which is then sealed with a laser to prevent any bleeding or infection.

Another method is that of diathermy. Diathermy is the process of using electricity to produce heat which removes or destroys tissue. A diathermy machine transmits electrical current through a pair of forceps which is manifested as intense heat. This heat can destroy or cut away infected tissue or in this case the mole.

Other methods include ‘punch biopsy’ – removing the mole with an instrument which looks like an apple corer and chemical treatment.

Reasons for mole removal

Moles can be removed because of medical or cosmetic reasons. If a biopsy is performed and a mole is found to be cancerous (or
pre-cancerous) then it will need to be treated right away to prevent the risk of malignant melanoma.

Some people find moles to be an unsightly feature and ask for them to be removed purely for aesthetic reasons.

The mole removal procedure

The question here is to determine if the mole is dangerous or not. If it isn’t then diathermy will be used to remove the mole. This is a painless treatment which uses electrical current to generate heat which removes the offending mole.

If the mole appears suspicious then surgery is performed. This involves a local anaesthetic to numb the area. The surgeon will then cut away the mole and send it to a lab for further testing. This is to ensure that there is no abnormal growth or signs of cancer. He or she will then close the wound with a series of tiny stitches.

The duration of this procedure will vary from one patient to another but it usually takes around 20 minutes to remove a single mole.

There may be some bruising and swelling afterwards but this will ease after a couple of days.

There will be a tiny scar which will fade over time.