While moles are very common and while some people have them from birth, others develop them in time.
For the most part, moles are safe and are nothing more than a concentrated collection of natural skin pigment, melanin.
Sometimes you may not even realise it, but you likely have at least one, two or maybe even more, moles on your body.
You may want to get them removed, though, if they are uncomfortable or affect your self-esteem and confidence.
With some moles, there is also the risk of them being an indicator that you have skin cancer.
If you want to get rid of your moles, though, how should you do it? Is it safer to remove them at home or with surgery? Is it even possible to get removed?
The bottom line is that if you are having your mole removed by a professional, it is relatively safe. Whereas if you are attempting to perform the procedure yourself or using an alternative method, it is less safe and could lead to further problems.
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What Are the Risks and Dangers of Mole Removal?
Even though mole removal procedures are very simple and a professional surgeon will likely have done hundreds of them in his or her career, as is the case with other medical and especially surgical treatments, there are always some risks involved.
These will be discussed in more detail by the surgeon or dermatologist performing your mole removal procedure, but some of the main risks involved include:
- Pain in and around the wound during the recovery period, though this is not very intense and can be eased with the use of OTC painkillers.
- Some bleeding from the wound. Your would will be covered by the dermatologist or surgeon with a dressing and it may be that it is stitched up to help secure it.
- An infection could develop in the surgical would. Most infections can be treated using antibiotics. Signs of infection to look out for include swelling and redness on and around the wound area.
- Your skin may experience difficulties healing after your treatment. The risk of these difficulties occurring is much higher if you have pre-existing skin conditions or are older.
- A scar may develop after the treatment and although this will fade, you will likely have some visible marking around the wound area.
Can Removing a Mole Cause Cancer?
The answer to this question is not a simple yes or no.
It depends on whether or not the mole is cancerous or not.
That is why it is important to have any mole inspected and tested by a professional, either privately or on the NHS.
If the mole is cancerous and it is removed before you have a diagnosis, cancer could spread undetected, and you may only find out about it until it is too late.
Another issue is if the mole has cancerous cells is that by removing it, you expose and encourage cancer to spread quicker.
If a mole is not cancerous, though and you have it removed, that in itself will not cause cancer to develop.
Is It Unhealthy to Remove Moles By Yourself?
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic caused a definite surge in more people trying so-called “at home” treatments for various ailments, the popularity of DIY mole removal methods was soaring in popularity.
Although moles for the most part are safe and arranging to have a mole removal is for aesthetic reasons, trying to carry out a mole removal at home by yourself, is anything but safe.
In what way? Well, three huge risks come from trying DIY mole removal.
Many people decide they want to remove a mole at home and are encouraged by what they read and what they see on the internet and television to try specially formulated topical mole removal lotions and creams.
After all, neither involve any surgical cutting or incisions, so surely they are an easy and pain-free way to remove moles?
The problem is though that contrary to what you may have heard or read, there’s research that shows lotions and creams can increase the development of keloids.
Keloids are big and raised scars that ironically are often more noticeable and frustrating than moles.
Even with bags of confidence and the steadiest of hands, trying to perform surgery by yourself at home can dramatically increase the already existing risk of infection.
The environment and tools you use need to be extremely sterile and clean as you will be dealing with an open and exposed wound.
If they are even slightly unclean, it can allow bacteria to enter the wound. Surgeons in a very sterile and clean environment struggle with this, so you can only imagine how difficult it is to achieve when you are at home.
Perhaps the biggest reason why you should not try mole removal at home is that, without professional help, you can never be completely sure what you are trying to remove.
While it’s true that all moles look similar, it doesn’t mean that all moles are similar. For example, the mole you are removing may be cancerous.
As we have already discussed, this presents another set of even more serious problems.
Unknowingly cutting into a cancerous mole may mean that you go undiagnosed and can’t get the help you need.
That’s why it’s important if you ever have concerns that a mole may be cancerous, that you should get it checked out and a doctor will take a biopsy.
Another risk with unknowingly cutting into a cancerous mole is that you could cause the cancerous cells to spread to other parts of your body, increasing the chance that other forms of cancer could develop.
Is It Worth Removing a Mole?
Whether it is worth having mole removal treatment or not depends on several things.
If it is discovered that your mole is cancerous, removing it could help reduce the chance of pre-cancerous and cancerous cells spreading.
If it isn’t cancerous, the procedure can help to address any aesthetic hang-ups and concerns you have about your mole.
If you want to reduce the chance of cancer while improving how you look and feel, then having your mole removed could kill two birds with one stone.
Summary
So, if you really need to or simply want to get rid of any moles you have on your body, it is safest and best to seek out the help of a professional rather than trying to do it at home.
If a professional is sought out when you want to remove a mole, then it is a relatively safe procedure. Also, find out how much does mole removal cost.
TO BOOK YOUR PERSONALISED MOLE REMOVAL CONSULTATION WITH OUR EXPERIENCED, FRIENDLY DERMATOLOGISTS
