Moles typically appear during your childhood or teenage and can range in colour from your natural skin tone to pink, brown, or black. Darker moles are more likely to appear in people with darker hair and skin than those with lighter hair and complexion. Your skin may have flat or raised moles. A single mole is referred to as a nevus and a cluster of moles may be referred to as a nevi by your doctor.
You should have between 10 and 40 moles by the time you reach adulthood. Some moles appear gradually and may lighten or disappear over time. The majority of moles are harmless, but you should see a doctor if you have any concerns about how one looks, if it changes colour or shape or becomes bothersome.
Health Shots got in touch with Dr Anup Dhir, senior consultant, Apollo Hospital Delhi and former president of Indian Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeon, to find out the treatment for mole removal.
Here’s everything about mole removal methods
Mole removal is used to treat abnormal moles on your face, neck, arms, legs, or chest. In order to do a biopsy and determine whether a mole is cancerous (malignant) or precancerous, your doctor may advise removing an atypical mole. Additionally, removing the mole may be able to treat a skin cancer that hasn’t spread if your doctor is able to do so with excellent margins.
Here are two types of mole removal methods:
1. Non surgical mole removal methods
There are four basic types of non-surgical mole removal:
- Excision
- Shave removal
- Laser removal
- Freezing
Dr Dhir says, “While cutting and excision are the more frequent and advised ways to get rid of moles, laser treatment can be utilized on harder-to-reach locations like the face or ears and is useful for getting rid of many moles at once.”
Also, read: Should I be worried if too many moles start popping on my skin?
2. Surgical mole removal method
The surgeon cuts out the entire mole and stitches the skin closed if necessary. In surgical shave excision, a surgical blade is used to remove the mole.
Here are the after-effects of mole removal
The affected area may appear rough, red, and stiff for two to four weeks following mole removal while healing tissue starts to form. Although the wound area could be a little raised for a surgically excised mole, a little depressed for shaved mole and red for 1–2 months. Over time, the scar usually gets flatter and less red.
A few tips to keep in mind for mole removal treatment, according to Dr Dhir:
1. The moles which are growing are sent for biopsy to rule out malignancy.
2. The moles which are removed by laser or freezing also follow a similar course for healing.
Also, read: 5 home remedies to remove dark skin around your mouth
3. Prior to completing a mole removal procedure, your doctor will check your skin. They might take pictures of your moles for comparison purposes later. They might also make use of a tool called a dermoscope to get a better look at the mole and determine how to remove it successfully.
4. The doctor will remove your mole and then bandage the area after applying petroleum jelly. You should keep the area moist with the jelly for a few days and clean it every day.