question..: mole removal

LegacyUser

Hey,

Has anyone ever had a mole removed? I'm wondering what the procedure is. I have a mole on my inner thigh that has been there for years and I've thought nothing of it. However, lately it has been sore and seems to have changed a sort of pinky colour. I mean maybe it's nothing, maybe it just rubbed off my jeans or tights or something. But my dad has skin cancer so I'm thinking I should go to the doctor to get it removed, just in case.

Anyone any experience of this? Maybe I'm worrying about the whole thing unnecessarily?

DArcy

I had a mole from the middle of my back removed a few years ago. Like yours, mine had started to change in shape & colour & we have a family history of melanoma, so my GP advised that I have it removed as a precaution. A few weeks later I went to see the surgeon my GP had recommended. He had a look at my back, decided he would remove the mole & made an appointment for me a few weeks later in the hospital.

The actual procedure took about 15 minutes & it was done under a local anaesthetic. The injection of the anaesthetic was the only uncomfortable part. They cut the mole out, stitched me up & sent me on my way. Nothing more ever came of it. I'm sure you're worrying over nothing. But if you're really concerned, get it removed. I'm sure you'll get the all clear.

SantaHoe

maybeitsnothing wrote:

Has anyone ever had a mole removed? I'm wondering what the procedure is.

Just as DArcy described it really.
In my case I went to my GP and mentioned it to him, got a letter of referal to a surgeon in the Mater... had to wait a few months, but once you get in - it's really no big deal.
A 20-30 minute job, in and out.
Local anesthetic, everything explained as it's happening.
No pain, just the feeling of skin being tugged on.
Get stiched up, and have a nice lie down until you feel ready to leave (about 10 minutes in my case).
Come back x amount of time later to have stiches removed.
Good experience with this overall, I'd definitly reccomend it.
If you're worried about the mole, I'm pretty sure it's your porogative to have it removed... and I doubt your GP is going to argue with you about it.
Some good info on moles here >> http://www.irishhealth.com/index.html?level=4&id=587&ss=mole

goin'_to_the_PS

I had one on my face, when its started to change colour i went to my gp and he arrange for a plastic surgeon to remove it, after that it started turning into the most disgusting scar, that looked like there was puss in it. I went back to my gp and he told me to start wearing silcon patches under a bandaid, after 2 years of wearing them 24/7 it was just as bad. So then he started injecting cortozone (don't ask me what it is ) into it, if your doctor suggests this say NO its the most painful thing ever, it is made up of five sections in each you will get between 5-10 injections.
NOTE/ this was only because i have very bad scin tissue

fade2black

I got mine frozen off.

Victor

maybeitsnothing wrote:

However, lately it has been sore and seems to have changed a sort of pinky colour.

It may be nothing, but thats very much in "go to doctor" territory.

I understand some doctors also do minor procedures in their own practices, so it may not necessarily be a hospital thing.

Chinafoot

a girl i work with got 3 removed from near her neck. she said it was fine.

i'd say go to your GP. better to be safe than sorry and all that.

Nasty_Girl

Given that its sore and you have a family history then I'd say get it checked, the doctors motto is "if in doubt, take it out",
I had a mole on my shoulder, black in the middle iregular shaped tan around the edge, then it had two little baby moles next to it so the doctors were horrified when they saw it.

they cut about four centimeters down into my shoulder it wasn't painful but there was a definite sensation of someone sawing into my arm.
Because it was on right on the joint it was quite sore for months after and there's a raised pink scar.
They didn't even cut out the whole thing and there's a big brown stripe in the scar so it seems to be growing back, thankfully the bloody thing was harmless though.

jonnybadd

I got one renoved from my back about 3 months ago, GP did it himself, mild discomfort getting the local anesthetic, didnt feel anything of the mole itself being removed, went back 2 weeks later for stitches to be removed, the 2 weeks in between were grand some discomfort after i left the surgery but nothing else except the odd healing itch

LegacyUser

Hey I really want to get a mole on my face removed but I don't want to do it if it's gonna **** up my face, some guy was talkin bout puss and all sorts. Anyone who had it done, is it a raised sorta scar or what? that's my main worry, don't want to have a raised scar on my face

goin'_to_the_PS

ask yout doctor first about your scaring tissue, thats the only reason mine was ****'ed up

Victor

Scarring is down to the biology of the skin, the nature of the growth, the skill of the individual doctor and the aftercare given. A scar shouldn't be bigger than the original growth, but it's something that should be discussed with your GP / specialist.

AFAIK, you can get laser treatment for scar, but the idea is to not have the scar in the first place.

LegacyUser

User1:

I had moles removed from my face by a plastic surgeon at the end of the summer.

The first thing you have to remember about surgery is that there will ALWAYS, ALWAYS be a scar of some sort.

You have to weigh up the reasons why you want the procedure done against this risk.

I decided to get my moles removed because:

1) There is a history of skin cancer in my family
2) The moles were unsightly, and appeared only recently

Although my dermatologist said they were not cancerous, given the history in my family, I decided that I didn't want to run the risk of the moles worsening, particularly given that they were located on my face. I figured I could live better with scars that could only improve with time, than I could with moles that could potentially become worse.

It's been a few months and the scars are noticeable to me, but I don't think they are that obvious to others. They consist of straight red lines where the incisions were made. For the first few weeks they were slightly inflamed and the redness worsened, but since then they have faded quite a bit. I'm going to give them a few months longer (I have read that scars can take up to 12 months to assume their 'final' appearance) and then I might go back to the doctor for scar fading therapy if I think it's worth it - but at this rate I don't think I'll be doing that.

Anyway my advice is: think long and hard about it, and weigh up the risks. If you've had any surgery, or injuries requiring stitches before look to see how your skin heals. I believe fair skin heals better than darker skin (one advantage of being a paddy), but it always varies from person to person...

Anyway: best of luck.

aodh_rua

I had one removed from my back last year. The only thing I felt were a few pricks as the dermatologist injected the local anaesthetic. He described the procedure as saucerizing, and it didn't need any stitiches - I suppose that depends on the mole and where it is. In advance he told me there would be a scar, which he described as looking like someone put a cigar out on my back. Since it's out of sight, I don't really mind.

If you're worried, definitely go talk to your gp and get refered to a dermatologist.

_blank_

I have had one removed from my Neck.

The GP did mine for me, bit of Local Anasthetic, quick flick of the scalpel, gone.

I have a scar left that looks like a hickey though :eek:

Victor

aodh_rua wrote:

saucerizing

Cauterizing?

LegacyUser

This is something I would consider doing myself - it would be useful to hear how much people who have had a similar procedure paid? Especially guestguestguest who went to a cosmetic surgeon (which is something I may have to do!)

LegacyUser

Ye I want to get a tiny one removed from my chest tiny being about 1 millimetre in diameter and one from my back that is about 2cm in diameter.

aodh_rua

Victor wrote:

Cauterizing?

No - saucerizing. Cauterizing is very different - this procedure was just using a scalpel to remove a thin scoop of tissue.

aodh_rua

lahddsa wrote:

This is something I would consider doing myself - it would be useful to hear how much people who have had a similar procedure paid? Especially guestguestguest who went to a cosmetic surgeon (which is something I may have to do!)

Mine was in the Blackrock Clinic and cost about €400.

LegacyUser

i had one removed from my chin, my dermatologist did it within 5 minutes, he injected salt water under it which caused NO pain and the mole became very raised, then he grabbed the scalpel and swiped it off. didnt hurt one bit. but then he grabbed an electric stick and zapped the tissue. that hurt. all and all it ended up coming back (must have been deep) so he then froze it off!

i would go with either, freezing is uncomfortable though for a while

tannytantans

Got a mole removed a few weeks ago fromm my back. I went to my doctor cos it had changed colour. She was brilliant - wrote a letter of referral for me and the hospital called me the next day with an appointment for the day after. I had to go for a consultation first -they check your whole body to make sure you have no other unusual moles or marks.

Then i got it removed the next week. It was painless at the time but got a bit uncomfortable once the anaesthetic started to wear off and the stitches were itchy for a while too - i was glad to get them out!Anyway the mole is then sent off for tests and you get results within two weeks!

I wouldn't hesitate to get any other moles removed - it's a lot better than stressing out about it.

Also mine was free cos id the referral from my doctor.

LegacyUser

Tanntansans
Where did you get that done? Im getting a few removed from my neck in the next few months was also referred by my Doctor and she sent me to Cork. Got a letter 5 months later to say ive a consultation in January! Said id have to pay 100euro for the Consultation which will last 10 minutes it said! Not looking forward to seeing the bill from the surgery itslef!

tannytantans

I got mine removed in St Vincents in Dublin