Surgical Dermatology

Mole removal is the process of removing benign or malignant moles for aesthetic or medical purposes.

Our dermatologists can remove dangerous or unsightly moles almost anywhere on the body. Mole removal is safe, effective, and virtually painless.

Moles are detected during routine skin screenings done by our dermatologists, or you may know about a mole you’ve had your entire life. Moles may appear as you age, or a lifelong mole may change in shape, appearance, or size.

To be on the safe side, any mole that you have should be examined by your Dallas Associated Dermatologists dermatologist.

What is Mole Removal Used For?

There are many situations in which a person should seek help from a dermatologist for mole removal.

Moles can be indicative of a serious skin condition, such as melanoma. Left untreated, a malignant mole can grow into a life-threatening condition that may be irreversible.

There’s no reason to let things progress that far. With proper screening, a malignant mole can be detected and removed, and proper cancer treatment can take place.

Mole removal is also used to remove unsightly benign moles. Certain moles can be disfiguring, or they can appear in unflattering areas on the body.

You don’t have to be in a life-threatening situation to have mole removal at Dallas Associated Dermatologists.

Types of Mole Removal

Once you and your dermatologist have agreed that mole removal is the best next step, your dermatologist will decide which type of mole removal procedure to use.

The type of mole removal will depend upon your individual circumstances, the size and nature of the mole, and the reason for the mole removal.

• Cryotherapy. Sometimes called cryosurgery or simply “freezing,” cryotherapy is a type of mole removal where the mole is frozen with liquid nitrogen, after which the mole releases from the skin and is discarded.
• Shaving. Shallow moles may be removed with surgical shaving, where a scalpel is used to shave away the mole cells.
• Excision. Surgical excision is used when a mole is deep and requires to be cut out. This procedure may also require stitches and can leave a small scar.

Am I a Candidate For Mole Removal?

Most patients can have their mole/s removed. There are few reasons why a mole cannot be removed. The main question is what kind of mole removal procedure is best for your unique circumstances.

Certain types of mole removal procedures may leave a small scar. If you are considering having a mole removed purely for esthetic reasons, you need to decide if it’s worth risking a scar in place of the mole, even if it’s a small scar.

All moles on the body should be carefully monitored. Our dermatologists at Dallas Associated Dermatologists are adept at identifying and diagnosing dangerous moles.

Mohs surgery is a special technique that is used by dermatologists to treat certain types of skin cancer.

In Mohs surgery, cancerous skin cells are removed one cell layer at a time. After each layer is removed, it’s examined on the spot under a microscope. Once no more cancerous skin cells are in the removed layer, the surgery is completed.

This technique ensures that benign cells aren’t needlessly removed, while also ensuring that all the malignant cells are excised.

If your dermatologist has recommended Mohs surgery to treat your skin cancer, you should know that this technique was invented all the way back in the 1930s and named after the doctor, Frederick Mohs.

It proved to be so effective that dermatologists still rely on this technique to this day, as a first recourse to remove cancerous skin cells. Mohs surgery often helps patients to avoid more extensive surgery for the treatment of melanoma.

What is Mohs Surgery Used For?

Mohs surgery isn’t for all types of skin cancer. But it offers very positive outcome rates for certain situations, including:

• Your skin cancer has returned after previous treatment
• You have a higher vulnerability of having your skin cancer return
• Your skin cancer is located in a highly visible area of your body
• Your skin cancer is in an area of the body where healthy tissue is greatly needed
• Your skin cancer is aggressive or particularly large in size
• Your skin cancer has poorly defined edges

Types of Mohs Surgery

There is only one type of Mohs Surgery, and it’s used to treat melanoma, which is skin cancer. The idea behind this surgery is to keep as much healthy tissue as possible.

Needless tissue removal can cause unnecessary and unsightly scarring in visible areas such as the face and neck. With Mohs surgery, only cancerous cells are removed.

Am I a Candidate For Mohs Surgery?

We recommend Mohs surgery for patients who are not good candidates for more invasive surgery. Since Mohs surgery only necessitates local anesthesia in our office, there’s no need to go under anesthesia. This is optimal for those with heart conditions or other underlying issues.

Whether or not you are a candidate for Mohs surgery also depends upon the nature of your skin cancer and its history. If you have a history of recurring skin cancer in one spot, for example, Mohs surgery may be a great option.

A diagnosis of skin cancer doesn’t have to mean that a large area of skin tissue will be removed from your body. With Mohs surgery, your dermatologist removes only cancerous cells, leaving healthy tissue behind.