Some moles enhance your beauty. Others make you feel less attractive than you desire.
If you don’t like your mole, or if you’ve noticed changes that make you suspect skin cancer, mole removal is the solution. If you’re considering mole removal, you may wonder what’s involved
At Desired Beauty, expert surgeon Farzin Kerendian, DO, FACOS, FAACS, removes moles in the comfort and safety of our Los Angeles and Bakersfield, California, offices. If you’re considering mole removal, here’s what to expect.
Mole removal is fast and simple
As an expert cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Kerendian removes moles surgically with a simple procedure called excision. First, we prepare your skin by cleaning and disinfecting it. Then we inject an aesthetic so that you won’t feel any pain.
He removes the mole with a scalpel. He usually removes some healthy tissue around the mole (called a “margin”) in case the mole later turns out to be cancerous.
You may be sore, red, and swollen
After the anesthetic wears off, you may feel pain or discomfort at the operation site. However, you should be able to easily manage your pain with over-the-counter painkillers.
Depending on how large your mole was, Dr. Kerendian may allow it to heal on its own and air dry, or he may have to suture the skin together and protect it with a bandage. You keep the site clean and dry by washing it gently with soap and water, then reapplying the antibiotic ointment.
You should avoid strenuous activities for a couple of days until the redness calms down and the swelling subsides. You meet with us after a few days so that Dr. Kerendian can be sure you’re healing properly.
Mole removal may leave a scar
If your mole is small, once your skin heals, you may not even notice the scar at all. In fact, after your procedure, the ointment we give you promotes healing and minimizes the risk for a scar.
However, the excision of a large mole may leave a visible scar. If your mole is precancerous or cancerous, you must remove it no matter how large a scar remains afterward. But, if you’re only removing the mole for aesthetic reasons, the size of the scar should factor into whether you wish to move forward with mole removal. If you’re unsure, just ask us during your consultation.
We check your moles for cancer
Even if your mole appears benign, we send the excised tissue to a laboratory for analysis. If they detect any cancer cells, you may need further treatment. If they don’t detect abnormal cells, you don’t have to worry about that mole any longer.
Of course, you should still check your skin once a month, and stay alert to changes in your moles or to new moles. New moles or old moles that change could be a sign of a deadly form of skin cancer called melanoma. Use the mnemonic ABCDE to remember what symptoms and signs are associated with melanoma:
A – asymmetrical appearance
B – borders that look ragged or rough
C – more than one color associated with the mole
D – diameter that’s larger than a pencil’s eraser
E – moles that evolve or change in any way
Any of the ABCDEs should be looked at by a doctor immediately. Changes that may require immediate removal are moles that bleed, itch, or ooze pus.
Your skin can be mole-free and lovely again with little effort, time, or recovery. Simply contact our office by phone or online form today to set up a consultation.
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