Often considered a beauty mark, moles are benign pigmented patches or spots on your skin that appear in different colors such as tan, brown, purple, and black. People are often born with moles, but some of these may develop with time as you age.

Seemingly harmless patches on the skin, moles aren’t always what they appear. Some moles can be cancerous and that’s why people often opt for mole removal to eliminate the possibility.

If you’re in a similar situation, we bet your head must be full of a million questions about the procedure. To help ease your worries, here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about mole removal.

Let’s take a look!

Are all moles cancerous?

Not all benign moles are dangerous, in fact, only a small percentage of them are cancerous. However, the risk of contracting a cancerous mole may differ from person to person, depending on a range of factors. If you have dark and large moles that appeared out of nowhere, you should get them examined. In addition to that, if you have a family history of skin cancer, the risk for you is higher compared to someone who doesn’t have a history.

However, a mere look at the mole isn’t enough to assess its nature. A medical expert has to examine it properly before it can be declared cancerous.

How does mole removal work?

There are many methods of mole removal that a dermatologist has at their disposal. Each technique is geared toward eliminating the growth of the mole by creating a small wound.

The techniques used can be surgical incision and laser mole removal. They’re used to remove moles that can be easily snipped or removed from the surface of the skin. Other moles may need a sutured incision if they extend to the deeper layers of the skin.

Is the procedure painful?

The pain you experience varies on the technique used for mole removal. However, regardless of the methods, a local anesthetic is introduced to ensure the comfort of the patients. The treatment is quick, has minimal side-effects, and doesn’t result in any excessive scar tissues.

What is the recovery time for mole removal?

When you get mole removal on a small mole, the recovery time is short and minimal, compared to the week it’ll take you to recover from a suture incision. In addition to that, the location of the mole removal can also affect the recovery time.

The dermatologist performing the treatment may recommend you bed rest for the recovery period and you may also need to use a topical ointment to reduce the risk of scarring.

If you’ve made up your mind about getting rid of your moles, get in touch with some of the leading dermatologists in Lawrenceville, GA.

At Southern Dermatology, we offer a range of skin services and treatments including mole removal services using state-of-the-art equipment. In addition to that, we also offer skin rejuvenation treatments such as body sculpting and laser hair removal.

Book an appointment with us today!