Mole Evaluation
There are a number of potential reasons to remove a mole. Sometimes a patient simply doesn’t like the way it looks, while at other times the mole itself may be sensitive or prone to inflammation. Yet another reason is that sometimes your dermatologist will recommend that a mole be removed because it looks suspicious. It’s important for patients to understand is that there are different ways to ‘remove’ a mole – with each having its advantages and disadvantages.
Superficial Shave Removal
In this procedure, only the ‘raised’ portion of the mole is removed:
Because all moles have some degree of ‘under-the-skin’ component, some of the mole will remain after it’s healed:
The advantage of this procedure is that it typically provides the best cosmetic result. You’ll see in the explanations of the other two removal methods that if we make it our goal to remove absolutely every last bit of the mole, a more noticeable scar will be made. With this procedure, the end result is that the area where you once had the mole would now be flat. If the mole had some color in it, then it’s likely that there will be some color left behind, but at least it will be flat and ‘freckle-like’ rather than raised and ‘mole-like’. However, if the mole was flesh-colored in the first place, then it would likely heal both flat and roughly the same color as the surrounding skin (an ideal cosmetic result).
The disadvantage of this procedure is that, because some of the mole is left behind in the skin, it’s possible that the residual portion could grow in the coming years, giving the impression that the mole is ‘growing back’. Also, if the lab were to evaluate the removed part of the mole and determine that there are abnormal (or even cancerous) cells within it, then complete removal (such as that described in either procedure below) would still need to be performed.
Deep Shave Removal
This procedure is fairly similar to that previously described, except as the name implies, this removal goes deeper:
And because the removal goes deeper, it leaves a ‘depressed’ scar that will probably never completely fill in:
The advantage to this procedure is that if a mole appears to be harmful, you would want to have as much of the mole removed as possible. Performing a ‘deep’ shave removal also makes it very unlikely that the mole would ever grow back.
The disadvantage of this procedure is that it results in a much more noticeable scar. The scars from this type of removal are often depressed, like a ‘divot’, and may also be hypopigmented (lighter in color than the surrounding skin).
Excision
The third kind of mole removal is called ‘excision’. This involves cutting ‘around’ the mole, through the entire thickness of skin:
Because the entire thickness of skin is removed, an ‘open’ wound is created which must be closed with stitches:
The advantage of excision is that it provides the highest degree of certainty that the mole has been completely removed in its entirety. This is particularly important when it comes to moles which are showing ‘pre-cancerous’ or even ‘melanoma’ changes within.
There are a few disadvantages to excision. First, it’s a surgical procedure that typically can’t be performed without planning and preparation. In other words, such a procedure normally needs to be scheduled ahead of time on a ‘surgery day’. Second, because it goes deeper, more risks are involved, such as infection, bleeding, or even nerve damage. Third, excision creates what most think of as a traditional ‘surgical’ scar. In other words, it will heal in a line-like scar, and you may also see marks where the sutures were placed.
(Typical Excision Scar Appearance)
Because of these issues, excision is typically reserved for moles that need to be removed for safety reasons. Your dermatologist will be happy to answer any additional questions you may have regarding mole removal.
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Mole Evaluation Specialists in Southampton, PA
The Best Mole Evaluation in Southampton, PA
If you’ve had a mole your entire life, then you may wonder how it came to be or why you have it. For many people, moles are unsightly blemishes that can cause them a lot of distress. You may feel embarrassed about showing your face to new people. This doesn’t have to be the case. Moles can be removed. At Penn Dermatology Specialists, we specialize in safe mole removal treatment to give you the skin you’ve always wanted. Here’s what you need to know about our mole removal service in Southampton, PA.
Why You Should Choose Our Mole Dermatologist and Dermatology Providers to Remove Your Mole
It may seem like it’s easy to remove a mole on your own. Do not try removing moles on your own. Here are a few reasons why:
- Mole might be cancerous
- You can scar yourself
- You may infect yourself
For your safety, it’s better to seek mole removal in Bucks County through us. This is because our mole dermatologist and dermatology providers are trained to know if a mole is just a mole or if it’s something more sinister. In some cases, your mole may be melanoma. Luckily, you can rely on us for melanoma treatment in Southampton, PA as well.
Just like our wart removal in Southampton, PA, our mole removal treatment is minimally invasive. We use easy procedures to help you recover faster. The equipment we use for our mole removal treatment is also sterilized to prevent infection.
If we discover that your mole was actually melanoma, then we’ll make sure it’s treated differently. Otherwise, we may risk spreading the infected cells further and spreading cancer.
