Mole Removal Techniques

What Different Techniques Are Available For Mole Removal?

If you want to get a mole removed, it is a good idea to learn about the different techniques and then discuss them with your doctor. Not all doctors perform all of the techniques, so sticking with one doctor might limit your choices just a bit. To some extent, the kind of mole you want to have removed determines the kind of technique that must be used. Flat shallow moles are not removed in the same way that protruding, deeper-rooted moles are removed.

The techniques include shave excision, elliptical excision, cryotherapy, laser therapy, and mole removal creams. All of these options are discussed below in some detail. Reading through the various procedures ahead of time is a good idea because it will give you some background to take to the table when you sit down for a consultation with your physician. Remember to carefully weigh the pros and cons of each technique before coming to a decision on which type is right for you.

Shave Excision

Shave excision is used to remove only the mole itself and not any of the surrounding skin. After the mole and the surrounding area have been numbed with a local anesthetic, a scalpel is used to shave the mole off of the skin. The anesthetic generally used is called lidocaine, and it causes the skin of the affected area to become firm and raised, making it easier for the surgeon to access the mole.

The scalpel does not shave very deeply, and that's why this technique is most effective for shallow moles that are slightly raised. This makes the skin even and smooth because the mole no longer protrudes. Stitches are usually used to close the wound immediately after surgery. The stitches may need to be removed within a few days, or they may be the kind that is designed to absorb into the body, thus not needing to be removed.

One downside to shave excision is that some mole cells are left untouched because the shave does not go deep enough to remove them. The remaining cells sometimes grow a new mole that may actually be darker than the original mole. This can happen soon after surgery or months or years down the road. It is something to be aware of when considering shave excision.

Elliptical Excision

Elliptical excision also begins with anesthesia, but the technique is a little different. A larger area of skin is removed in the shape of an oval. This includes the mole itself and also some of the surrounding skin. The skin is scooped out to get more of the deeper skin cells under the mole. That makes elliptical excision a better choice if you don't want to risk having your mole come back. Most or all of the mole cells are removed, and so this is the best way to remove deeply-rooted moles.

Unfortunately, elliptical excision is a little more risky than shave excision. Because it involves a deeper cut, the risks of developing infection are greater. The wound will likely bleed more and take more time to heal, as well.

Another important thing to realize is that elliptical excision always leaves a visible scar. Some scars are more visible than others, but there is no getting around scarring with this technique. You can get scar removal surgery, but the problem with that is that scar removal surgery actually leaves some scarring, too. Scars fade, gradually becoming less obvious over time, but you always have them.

Cryotherapy

This is an alternative to regular mole removal surgeries that involves using extremely cold temperatures to kill the cells within a mole. This can be done in one of several ways.

The most common way is to apply liquid nitrogen directly onto the surface of the mole. The cold freezes the cells, killing them very quickly. Using liquid nitrogen works well if the mole is shallow on the surface of the skin, but if it is deeply embedded in the lower layers of skin, this method is not as effective. Other methods of applying cryotherapy involve injecting frozen liquid into deeper layers of skin or probing the skin with a frozen instrument to kill the cells.

Careful washing of the wound twice daily for the following two weeks should flush out the dead skin cells and help new non-mole cells to grow in their place. The healing time and level of pain are about the same as in the traditional surgical methods.

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy usually does not require the use of an anesthetic, and you can be awake during the whole procedure. You might feel a slight stinging or tingling sensation, but you should not experience very much pain. A laser uses heat to seal blood vessels so that very little bleeding occurs and stitches are not necessary to assist in healing. The heat of the laser is damaging to the cells, just like the cold used in cryotherapy. The cells are killed by the heat, ending the life of the mole.

This technique is most effective to remove flat moles that have been present and unchanging since birth. Laser therapy cannot be used on deeper layers of skin, so it is not very effective on moles that penetrate to the deeper layers of skin.

Mole Removal Creams

Many brands of mole removal creams can be purchased online and at health product stores. Most of them use agents that are designed to dry out the skin. By removing the moisture from the skin cells, you kill the mole. It eventually dries out and simply falls off, usually without much pain.

While some mole removal creams do work, they are not all created equal. Some of them contain ingredients that you might be allergic to, and a list of ingredients may not even be posted on the packaging of the cream. If you don't know what's in it or if the promises made seem too good to be true, don't take the risk.

Also, creams are not as likely to be effective against large and deeply-rooted moles. This is because the cream can only be applied to the surface of the mole and not any deeper. Shallow moles can best be removed in this way.

How Can I Determine Which Mole Removal Technique Is Right For Me?

You can start by examining the mole that you want to have removed. Is it flat or raised? Is it in a highly visible area in which you want to avoid scarring? Does it seem to be deep or shallow? You might not be able to tell the answers to all of those questions on your own, so it is always a good idea to talk to a doctor about the possibilities. You can also find out about the relative pricing of each technique, which might influence your decision as well.

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide. If you talk to one doctor who only does a certain kind of mole removal and you want a different technique, all you have to do is find another doctor. Now that you know all about the different techniques, you can figure out which one is best.