REMOVAL
OF MOLES
The
word mole is a general term for many
different types of skin growths. Some
common types of moles are nevi and seborrheic
keratoses.
Depending
on the depth of the mole, they can either
be removed by "shave excision"
or deeper excision. Both of these procedures
are performed in the office with the
use of local anesthesia.
A
shave excision is an excellent way to
remove most superficial moles. This
method involves horizontally shaving
the lesion off flush with the normal
skin with a sharp instrument after the
area is numbed with a local anesthetic.
The area usually heals very well leaving
minimal to no scarring.
For
deeper moles or moles that clinically
appear more serious, the method of removal
is a standard excision. This method
involves cutting through the full thickness
of the skin and then suturing the wound
together. Some scarring can be expected
depending on the location of the lesion.
All
moles that are removed are sent to the
laboratory for pathologic interpretation
to confirm the clinical diagnosis. Occasionally,
even benign-appearing moles can turn
out to be skin cancers.
SKIN
TAGS
Skin
tags are small growths of skin often found
around the neck, under arm, or groin area.
These lesions can be hereditary and it
is not uncommon for several family members
to have skin tags. These lesions are totally
benign and require no treatment unless
they are symptomatic. If they are bothersome,
they can be removed by cautery. This involves
using an electric needle. They can also
be removed by snipping them off with a
pair of sharp scissors. It is not recommended
that these lesions be "snipped off"
at home. Sometimes the skin tags can be
quite vascular and unexpected bleeding
can occur. Skin tags are generally easy
to remove within the office and healing
is quite quick.
|
