Facial Mole Removal

April 02, 2020    -    Cancer, Men, Neck, Non-Surgical, Skin

Why does this thing on my face keep growing, a man asks himself in the morning looking in the mirror while shaving. The bump on his cheek has been there for decades and now it has gotten sizably larger. Sometimes it gets irritated while shaving and recently was pointed out to him by a colleague in a Zoom video conference. The high def resolution on his computer did not help hide his blemish. It was time to do something.

Moles come in all shapes and sizes. They could be flat patches or mushroom like growths, most commonly though, they resemble a broad raised nodule. They are usually benign, yet continue to grow and can get quite large later in life. Most moles, grow very slowly over decades. It is important to check moles that rapidly change color or have irregular borders as they can harbor cancerous changes.

Mole excision requests are quite common in my clinic. They are usually located in high real estate, high visibility areas such as nose, lips, cheek and around the forehead. Patients frequently request moles removed with minimal to no scarring. This can be achieved in two ways. My favorite method is to shave the mole flush with the skin and let it heal, this is a better option if a scarless removal is desired. Downside to that is the mole will come back in 3-5 years. Alternatively a full thickness excision can be done with a cosmetic closure to minimize the scar appearance.

Insurance usually does not cover mole removal unless there are signs of a malignant neoplasm, such as rapidly changing size or color. Cost is in a range of $300-600. If you are interested in discussing a mole removal or other facial blemishes such as a scar, you can now consult us via a virtual tele-health platform. To learn more please call our plastic surgery clinic at (253) 530-8293 to set up a virtual visit.