Moles, cysts and skin tags are harmless skin growths which can be easily removed with minor surgery under local anaesthetic. Often this can be perfomed there and then when you come to clinic, and it only takes about half an hour.
Many of us have skin imperfections which develop over the course of our lives and tend to gradually increase and enlarge. Removing moles, skin tags and cysts can remove any irritation they may be causing and aesthetically improve the look of your skin.
Moles vary in colour from pink flesh tones to dark brown and are a natural part of our skin. If you have a mole that changes in colour or size, or starts to bleed, it is really important to get it checked by your GP. However, even harmless moles can grow, become raised and become unsightly, sometimes with hair growing from them. This can be embarrassing if it’s on a visible part of the body, so you may want it removing. Some people also want a mole removing just so that it can be checked under the microscope to make sure it’s harmless.
Skin tags are very common small flesh coloured or brown growths that hang off the skin. They look a bit like warts and are harmless. If they occur in your eyelids they can become quite distracting to your vision. Their removal takes only a few minutes and leaves a tiny scar, which will fade with time.
A skin cyst is a fluid filled lump which lies just underneath the skin and is normally harmless. Most are sebaceous cysts, epidermoid cysts or pilar cysts ,and are related to the hair follicles in the skin or on the scalp. They continue to grow very slowly and sometimes get infected and require treatment with antibiotics. It’s often a good idea to get them removed before they get too large.
- Surgery is relatively simple and will take place under a local anaesthetic in less than one hour. The procedure can sometimes be performed during your first clinic appointment.
- The procedure may be performed in the treatment room in clinic, or occasionally in the operating theatre.
- Just like seeing the dentist, this involves a local anaesthetic injection that stings for 5-10 seconds. Some people request a general anaesthetic (asleep) if they get anxious about procedures.
- Moles that’ve grown and become raised can be simply shaved flat (shave excision), which doesn’t completely remove them, but makes them much less noticeable and leave very little visible scar.
- There may be some stitches that need removing in clinic about 1 week following surgery.
- I stitch it up using very fine delicate stitches to make any scarring as faint as possible.
- Once the skin lesion is removed, to leave a short fine line scar in its place. The scar improves with time and eventually fades and goes soft.
- If possible I will design the procedure such that any scar is hidden or disguised the in the natural lines of your face such that it’s barely noticeable.
- Once treated your mole, skin tag or cyst is unlikely to grow back.
- Moles or other skin lesions that have any suspicious or worrying features will be sent to the lab for testing. The results of this analysis are normally available within 2 week of your surgery.
