Once you have decided to have one or more of your moles removed, you have the choice of numerous methods, some needing surgery and others which may be done at home.
Leaving out do it yourself remedies for the moment, laser surgery is one of the more popular methods of mole removal, and is worth a closer look.
By taking any surgical option for mole removal, you will also be able to have your moles completely examined, and any suspect or possibly cancerous moles will be identified. If you have any of these, the only choice is to have them surgically cut out.
It's now time to discuss the different ways a mole can be removed with your doctor.
Although the elimination of a benign mole is a small procedure, it can involve normal tissue surrounding and beneath the mole, it will involve some pain, and it may leave some temporary scarring and color change. That applies to surgical operations such as excision or cutting, shaving, electrocautery or burning, and freezing.
Although the level of discomfort is really not that great, it is a worry - so much so that laser surgery can seem like a very appealing alternative. Because laser surgery only affects the surface layers of the skin, little pain is involved and any temporary damage is easily repaired, usually without any scarring.
Let's look at the benefits of laser surgery a little more closely.
The first thing to keep in mind is that laser surgery does not work well on raised moles, smooth moles, particular those with some color, respond well. So possibly all your moles won't be good candidates for this technique.
The lasers used in this type of surgery work most effectively on strongly colored skin cells. Laser treatment destroys cells by heating them to boiling point, and this happens more rapidly and more effectively with darker cells. This rather grim sounding process is rapidly repaired as the body begins to heal the damage
You will feel this as a minor impact - something like getting snapped by a rubber band - but not at all serious and over in a second. It certainly sounds less worrying than the pain associated with other kinds of mole removal surgery.
And provided it is done skillfully, there should be no scarring, which is unquestionably another point in its favor.
The reason that there is no bleeding is that only the upper layers of the skin are involved, although some redness and possibly a thin scab may form. Any scab which does form vanishes fast and is nothing like the rather noticeable scabs formed in other types of mole removal surgery.
So overall laser mole removal sounds quite attractive, especially if pain and scarring concern you.
But there are concerns, some quite significant.
Concern number one is that one session will probably not be enough. While a good surgeon will probably zap every part of a small mole, it's not that straight forward, and if some stays behind it will likely grow back.
You should probably expect at least one follow up session after everything has healed. Second or third visits are even more possible if the root of your mole is deep in your skin. This will mean extra cost, with each session likely to cost well over $100.00.
Even if everything seems OK, it is rather common for moles to reappear some weeks or months after most forms of mole removal surgery, with laser mole removal seeming to be the worst offender.
This can happen if a tiny part of the mole survives the treatment, because the doctor needs to balance effective mole destruction with minimal damage to the surrounding tissue. Not all operations are 100% right the first time.
There is a bit of a dispute over the use of laser surgery for mole removal, since laser treatment seems to be able to revitalize skin cells.
There is considerable evidence that moles are also affected by laser surgery, which makes good sense because they are just a different form of skin cell. That's probably not what you had in mind as you considered your mole removal options.
So it looks like laser mole removal may not be your most effective option. It's a tricky question - are low pain and slight scarring more important than the possibility of multiple visits to the doctor and the chance of mole regrowth?
Maybe you might now be giving more consideration to the other surgical procedures which are available, some of which are more effective when done well. You will be able to find material on these in other reviews
Provided you have had your moles checked out and you are certain you are dealing with common moles, there are lots of non surgical remedies you could give some thought to - anything from over the counter creams and ointments to a variety of natural mole removal treatments you can try at home.
Leaving out do it yourself remedies for the moment, laser surgery is one of the more popular methods of mole removal, and is worth a closer look.
By taking any surgical option for mole removal, you will also be able to have your moles completely examined, and any suspect or possibly cancerous moles will be identified. If you have any of these, the only choice is to have them surgically cut out.
It's now time to discuss the different ways a mole can be removed with your doctor.
Although the elimination of a benign mole is a small procedure, it can involve normal tissue surrounding and beneath the mole, it will involve some pain, and it may leave some temporary scarring and color change. That applies to surgical operations such as excision or cutting, shaving, electrocautery or burning, and freezing.
Although the level of discomfort is really not that great, it is a worry - so much so that laser surgery can seem like a very appealing alternative. Because laser surgery only affects the surface layers of the skin, little pain is involved and any temporary damage is easily repaired, usually without any scarring.
Let's look at the benefits of laser surgery a little more closely.
The first thing to keep in mind is that laser surgery does not work well on raised moles, smooth moles, particular those with some color, respond well. So possibly all your moles won't be good candidates for this technique.
The lasers used in this type of surgery work most effectively on strongly colored skin cells. Laser treatment destroys cells by heating them to boiling point, and this happens more rapidly and more effectively with darker cells. This rather grim sounding process is rapidly repaired as the body begins to heal the damage
You will feel this as a minor impact - something like getting snapped by a rubber band - but not at all serious and over in a second. It certainly sounds less worrying than the pain associated with other kinds of mole removal surgery.
And provided it is done skillfully, there should be no scarring, which is unquestionably another point in its favor.
The reason that there is no bleeding is that only the upper layers of the skin are involved, although some redness and possibly a thin scab may form. Any scab which does form vanishes fast and is nothing like the rather noticeable scabs formed in other types of mole removal surgery.
So overall laser mole removal sounds quite attractive, especially if pain and scarring concern you.
But there are concerns, some quite significant.
Concern number one is that one session will probably not be enough. While a good surgeon will probably zap every part of a small mole, it's not that straight forward, and if some stays behind it will likely grow back.
You should probably expect at least one follow up session after everything has healed. Second or third visits are even more possible if the root of your mole is deep in your skin. This will mean extra cost, with each session likely to cost well over $100.00.
Even if everything seems OK, it is rather common for moles to reappear some weeks or months after most forms of mole removal surgery, with laser mole removal seeming to be the worst offender.
This can happen if a tiny part of the mole survives the treatment, because the doctor needs to balance effective mole destruction with minimal damage to the surrounding tissue. Not all operations are 100% right the first time.
There is a bit of a dispute over the use of laser surgery for mole removal, since laser treatment seems to be able to revitalize skin cells.
There is considerable evidence that moles are also affected by laser surgery, which makes good sense because they are just a different form of skin cell. That's probably not what you had in mind as you considered your mole removal options.
So it looks like laser mole removal may not be your most effective option. It's a tricky question - are low pain and slight scarring more important than the possibility of multiple visits to the doctor and the chance of mole regrowth?
Maybe you might now be giving more consideration to the other surgical procedures which are available, some of which are more effective when done well. You will be able to find material on these in other reviews
Provided you have had your moles checked out and you are certain you are dealing with common moles, there are lots of non surgical remedies you could give some thought to - anything from over the counter creams and ointments to a variety of natural mole removal treatments you can try at home.
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As long as you have had your moles examined and you are sure you are dealing with normal moles, there are lots of non surgical mole removal remedies you could consider - anything from Non Prescription Creams and ointments to a variety of Natural Mole Removal remedies you can try in your own home.
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