Why You Should Get a Plastic Surgeon to Remove Your Mole

April 15, 2022

So you’ve got a mole. It’s actually something we all share in common. We all have them. That being said, there are some that might bother us more than others, or may just be on an area of the body that we simply don’t enjoy, like somewhere very visible on the face, neck or décolleté, or perhaps on our arms.

Wherever your bothersome mole might be, there are several options in terms of how you get it removed and by whom. Getting a mole removed may seem like a pretty simple, no big deal type of minor procedure, and it totally is, and a general practitioner (GP) or dermatologist are totally qualified to remove your mole.

But keep in mind that a huge part of mole removal is how it’s removed and how expertly your doctor can stitch up the incision in order to make your scar imperceptible. So although you might think it’s making a mountain out of a molehill (pardon the pun) to go to a plastic surgeon to get your mole removed, a huge benefit of seeing a plastic surgeon is the precision with which they are able to create a beautiful scar—in other words, make your scar basically invisible.

How is Mole Removal Performed?

Mole removal is a minor outpatient procedure. At The Plastic Surgery Clinic we’ll typically schedule an in-person complimentary consultation with you first, during which one of our plastic surgeons will examine your mole and take a medical history.

Your mole removal procedure will be scheduled on a day soon after your consultation, and depending on the type and size of your mole, your surgeon will either remove your mole via surgical shaving or surgical excision.

Surgical shaving simply shaves the mole off the surface of the skin, typically effective for smaller more superficial moles. Surgical excision, where your surgeon actually removes the mole with either a laser or scalpel, or other instrument, and then stitches up the incision, is typically required for moles that are set deeper into the skin with a deeper base.

Mole removal is done under local anesthetic no matter which technique is employed, so you can rest assured that the procedure is totally painless.

How is Scarring Minimized with Mole Removal?

In most cases, the biggest concern with mole removal is the scar it leaves afterwards. If your mole is somewhere inconspicuous like somewhere on your legs or in an area that isn’t super visible, then scarring might not be a huge deal to you. But if your mole is somewhere on your face then you definitely don’t want to be left with a scar that looks worse or more prominent than the original mole.

This is where seeing a plastic surgeon for mole removal is really beneficial. Plastic surgeons are extremely experienced in minimizing scarring. Creating or strategically hiding scars is a plastic surgeon’s ultimate goal for any procedure, whether it be for an extensive surgery like a tummy tuck, or whether it be for a minor procedure like mole or dermatofibroma removal.

No matter the procedure, plastic surgeons use specific techniques in order to minimize scars and the amount of detail and attention they pay to this part of their work is akin to an art. And who wouldn’t want an artist to work on removing that mole from your beautiful face?

What are the Benefits of Mole Removal?

Although in the majority of cases mole removal is a purely cosmetic concern, there are definitely long term health benefits to removing a bothersome mole. In rare cases, moles could be cancerous, or some moles can contain pre-cancerous cells, and removing them can avoid long term health complications.

It’s always a good idea to have a mole you’re concerned about checked out by a doctor in order to rule out any underlying health risks. At The Plastic Surgery Clinic, we’ve also made it really easy to get your mole removed these days, as we don’t need a referral from your doctor.