If you have moles, you might be wondering if or when they need to be removed. If you’re in England, you might be wondering about mole removal London. It’s common to have moles and freckles. While most are harmless and benign, there are some cases where you will need to get a mole removed.
The only way to know if you need a mole removed or not is to visit a dermatologist or healthcare provider.
What is Mole Removal?
When a mole needs to be removed, it will be shaved or cut to remove it from the skin. It’s an outpatient procedure that usually takes less than an hour. Your dermatologist will then send it to a pathology lab and you should get the results back in a few days.
If the result comes back positive for skin cancer, you might need to have more of the area removed to make sure the surrounding skin is also free of cancer.
People also get moles removed for cosmetic reasons. If you don’t like the way a mole looks, your doctor can remove it. The mole will still be sent to a pathology lab as everything that is removed needs to be sent to a lab even if it was removed for cosmetic reasons.
What are Moles?
Moles can appear at any time during your life, but they are most likely to pop up during your childhood or teen years. Moles can be a large variety of colors including brown, black, natural skin tones, or pink.
If you have darker skin and hair, your moles will also be darker in color. Moles can be raised or flat. Most people will have between 10 to 40 moles during their lifetime. Some moles will grow slowly. Some may even lighten and disappear.
Most moles are harmless and will not cause you issues. However, there are times when moles may begin to change shape or color. This is a cause for concern and needs to be checked by a doctor right away. Moles that are itching or bleeding also need to be checked.
Sometimes a mole can be skin cancer or precancerous. The earlier moles are checked, the better care your doctor can give you. Moles that are skin cancer that is caught early can also be removed easier and less of the surrounding skin will need to be removed.
Why are Moles Removed?
Moles are usually removed when they appear atypical or abnormal. A healthcare provider might recommend that you get a mole removed if they believe it could be cancerous or precancerous.
A dermatologist will be able to remove the mole and the margins around it so that the cancerous not able to spread. You can also have moles removed that you don’t like the
appearance of.
How are Moles Removed?
There are a few different ways that moles can be removed. The main ones are surgical excision and shave excision. As with all surgical procedures, there are benefits and risks to each one. A dermatologist should go over all the facts with you before moving forward with mole removal.
Surgical Excision
During surgical excision, a doctor will numb and clean the area. They will then remove a scalpel to separate the mole from the surrounding skin. They will then often remove some of the surrounding skin and cells to make sure that all atypical cells are removed.
They will then use forceps to grasp the segment that they cut and then they will lift it off. Pressure and cauterization are usually used to stop the bleeding and then the area will be stitched together.
Shave Excision
Sometimes moles can be removed by shaving rather than cutting. Shave excisions are often used when they just want to take a sample of the tissue and use it for analysis. Shave excisions cannot be used though when trying to see the different types of skin cancer.
Shave excisions are better for analysis and for cosmetic removals since the surrounding skin is not being removed.
During a shave excision, a healthcare provider will use a single or double-bladed razor and shave the growth off the skin. They will then lightly burn the area to remove the mole. This also ensures there is a lesser chance of scarring.
Moles removed by shaving can come back though. You will need to let your doctor know if this happens. If a shaving method is done and the biopsy comes back positive for skin cancer, the doctor will need to go back and remove the mole completely as well as more skin.
