The appearance of large, dark, raised and unsightly moles can cause emotional distress and self-consciousness in both adults and children.

Mole removal, whether by laser or other surgery procedures, is a cosmetic surgery procedure that provides a solution to people wanting to improve their appearance and reduce associated health risks.

The benefits of mole removal are:

• Removing protruding moles that get in the way of shaving.
• Reducing skin irritation that can occur when certain moles rub against clothing or jewelry.
• Achieving smoother, clearer skin.
• Enhancing appearance and improving self-esteem.

Most importantly, if a mole is suspected to be pre-cancerous early on, it can often be completely removed before it causes a serious health risk.

Most moles are removed using a combination of surgery and laser to achieve the best cosmetic result. Local anesthetic is used to ensure the procedure is painless. The commonest way to remove moles that protrude from the skin is by a shave excision. The procedure involves using a dermablade to remove the mole parallel to the surface of the skin. This leaves a small superficial wound that is then cauterized with a laser to stop any bleeding and tidy the wound. The whole process takes about 20 minutes. No stitches are needed and healing takes about 1 to 2 weeks.

Occasionally Dr.Geroulis will use an elliptical excision for moles that are suspicious or where the cosmetic result is likely to be better than a shave excision. It is a deep excision that removes the mole completely. The ellipse is designed so that the resulting scar runs parallel with present skin creases. This makes sure that the scar is as narrow and short as possible. A bipolar cautery is then used to stop any bleeding. The resulting wound requires stitches, which can be either dissolvable or non-dissolvable depending on the site of removal.

Laser treatment is another method of mole removal. While scarring is not an issue for this technique, it is important to know this is not a method used for treating deep moles because the laser does not penetrate deeply enough.

Dr. Geroulis will advise which method of mole removal is most appropriate for you.

Most moles are sent to pathology after the removal. This is the analysis of the mole, which is done at a separate specialized laboratory using a high-powered microscope to detect any abnormal cells. Although most moles can look normal to the naked eye, occasionally, early abnormal cells can be lower in the skin, which could cause skin cancer.