Mole Removal

Posted on 30. Mar, 2009 by Valerie in Cosmetic Imperfections

There are a few old wives who tell the tale of removing moles with cauliflower or pineapple juice, ground garlic, a generous dab of honey, fig stem juice, or a bit of castor oil rubbed on the mole daily until it causes the mole to “weaken and disappear.”  What that actually means is that your skin will peel off, taking the mole with it, if you keep it up long enough.  How bizarre!

You know you have a mole if you have a small cluster of dark brown cells gathered in an area of your body, typically on the face, arms, chest or back.  They vary in shape and size.  Moles grow when skin cells clump together rather than spreading out across the skin; they are your skin’s natural colour but appear dark because of the clumping.

Moles can darken when exposed to the sun or during pregnancy.  Some people are born with moles and others develop them over the course of a lifetime.

Why You Should Remove Moles

A raised mole could be more than unsightly.  On the face, it gets in the way of the razor, and on the body, clothing could rub against it causing considerable discomfort.  Removing a mole allows you to have smooth, clear skin.

Depending on the location of the mole, removing it could raise your self esteem.  We pay so much attention to our appearances nowadays, and when a mole can’t be recast into a “beauty spot” it could affect the sufferer’s self-perception.  For women, makeup application is improved.

It is always a possibility a mole could turn cancerous, so consult your doctor and have it removed to reduce that possibility.  A mole exhibiting signs of mutation should definitely be removed as soon as possible.  Moles become cancerous because of sun exposure or continued irritation.  Removal does not completely eliminate the risk of developing melanoma on that spot, but it makes a significant difference.

Clinical Procedures for Mole Removal

Flat moles are quickly and easily removed with laser surgery.  A successful surgery performed by a talented, qualified practitioner will not usually leave a scar or mark.  Raised moles are not generally removed through laser surgery, as the light waves from the laser can not penetrate into the tissue deeply enough.

Raised moles are best removed through excision.  The mole and surrounding skin are removed along with a portion of the underlying subcutaneous tissue.  A few stitches bring the edges of the wound back together.  A skilled surgeon can minimize scarring, which will depend upon the size of the area removed.  Unfortunately, mole cells could be left behind with the excision procedure, causing another mole to grow in the same spot.  Reduce the possibility of this happening by working with a qualified cosmetic surgeon.

If you are running short on fig stems and castor oil in the pantry, do contact your doctor to find safe and easy alternatives to rubbing food on your moles.  A qualified cosmetic surgeon can use clinical procedures to safely remove those unsightly brown spots.

Tags: Mole removal