Common Antiseptics

Some common antiseptics are listed below. However, the usage and amount use may differ from case to case.

• Alcohols such as ethanol (most commonly used), 1-propanol, 2-propanol, isoprenol used along with iodine or some catonic surfactants (benzalkonium chloride,clorhexidine,octanidine,dihydrochloride)
• Quartenary Amonium Compounds (also known as Quats or QATs)
• Boric Acid
• Brilliant Green
• Chlorhexadine Gluconate
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Iodine
• Mercurochrome
• Manuka Honey
• Octenidine dihydrochloride
• Phenol
• Sodium Chloride
• Sodium Hypochloride
• Calcium Hypochlorite (combined with boric acid in Dakin's Solution)
• Sodium Bicarbornate (NaHC03)
• Terpenes
• Microcyn

It is best to use ethanol with iodine combination for before and after any mole removal is done on the area of skin that would be affected. This would reduce the chances of wound infection and probably ensure that the wound area is free of bacteria, microorganisms or foreign body that may cause problems during wound healing. It is also recommended to test the concentration of the antiseptics to ensure that it is non-corrossive on the skin.

People that have allergy should consult the doctor or dermatologist before using any kind of antiseptic. Some antiseptics may irritate the skin and cause rashes if not used in proper porportions or if over concentrated proportions are used.

Recommended Mole Removal Methods

There are a large number of mole removal techniques available in today's society. Some are highly effective, while some show effects after a period of time. There's a saying, if it ain't a problem, don't make it a problem. Well this saying goes for mole removal as well. If a mole doesn't seem to bother you in any way, it is best to leave it alone. However if there is an urge or a need for better self esteem or personal appearance the mole removal techniques listed below are recommended.

1) Cosmetic Surgery by a qualified and experienced skin specialist / dermatologist / skin surgeon.
2) Mole removal using lasers (with the presense of a qualified dermatologist / skin surgeon)
3) Mole removal using natural techniques using natural, non corrosive methods.

Apart from knowing which method suits you best, it is also highly recommended that you evaluate the risks involved in removing the moles with your skin specialist before proceeding further. This would deter from making bad or unnecessary decisions.

Scar Prevention Methods for Mole Removal

Scarring due to mole removal is quite common. The factors that may influence the chances of obtaining a scar after mole removal are listed below.

1. Mole removal at home without proper aparatus or without proper planning
2. Mole removal without consulting a dermatologist
3. Self mole removal without proper and planned surgery
4. Mole removal wound mismanagement
5. Mole removal done in a place which is not condusive for surgery
6. Wound infection
7. Mole removal wound that is disturbed by foreign bodies / objects.
8. Choosing a wrong mole removal method

The factors listed above are only some of the many factors that can influence scarring after mole removal is done. There are a few remedies to prevent scarring during mole removal. Listed below are a few remedies to prevend scarring after mole removal.

1. Choose a proper method with the advise of a qualified dermatologist.
2. Protect the wound and stitches with antiseptic dressing to avoid infection of the wound.
3. After the wound has healed, apply scar minimizing cream such as aloe vera cream, cocoa butter or shea butter.
4. Prevent from over exposing the wound to sunlight. Sunlight can be damaging to skin which is not protected. As such, do prevent outdoor activities that require exposure to sunlight for a period until the wound heals. If enivitable,  use sunblock cream such as SPF15 or SPF 30 to minimize impact of scarring from overexposure to sunlight.
5. Apply moisturizing cream to the skin area after the wound has healed. This would encourage the build up of healthy skin cells.

Mole Hair Removal Methods

Instead of the removal of a mole, some people prefer just to remove the hair on the mole. The hair on the mole can be sometimes unsightly or unwelcoming. However, for those who wish to remove the mole hair, there are quite a few options available which vary in terms of cost, effectiveness and painfulness. Mole hair removal is similar to the method used for cosmetic shaping of the eyebrows, the only drawback is that you are likely to irritate the mole

The first mole hair removal method is by shaving the hair off the mole. Gently shave the hair off of your mole (if the mole is flat and doesn't rise from the surface of the skin). If this method is executed cautiously with a razor, the hair on the mole can be removed without pain. This technique needs constant and repeated shaving to keep the mole hair from growing back. As such, constant care and vigilance is required for this method.

The second mole hair removal method is to tweeze the hair out with a pair of tweezers. This is similar to tweezing eyebrows only you are might injure or irritate the mole. By using this tweezing method, it is possible for the mole to start bleeding. The hair on the mole should take longer to grow back as compared to the previous method, but it can become painful and be a bit irritating on the skin for a few days.

The third mole hair removal method is to remove mole hair with laser or electrolysis. A visit to the dermatologist is needed to remove the hair from the mole either by using laser method or electrolysis method. You can use a low powered laser to remove the mole hair or a high powered laser to remove the mole from the surface of the skin. Electrolysis involves the insertion of a needle into the hair follicle. Anesthetics is to be used in the case of removing the mole completely.

There is no guarantee that the mole hair will not grow back if any of the above methods are used. In some cases, the mole would be free of mole hair and in other cases, mole hair may grow back after a few weeks. Constant care is needed to prevent mole hair from growing back, as such, the mole needs to be actively monitored.

Mole Removal Using Cosmetic Surgery

Learn about Mole Removal Surgery

Here is a little video showing us how a mole removal surgery is performed by a surgeon or dermatologist. In this video, local anesthetic is used to numb the area that surrounds the mole, before any incision is made.

The area is then sterialized with an antiseptic to avoid unwanted infection that may get into the open wound. The mole is then cut out using a scapel on the surrounding boundaries of the mole and the mole is removed as a whole, including the portion that lies below the surface of the skin. The surgeon then uses a cutery device to close the blood vessels that were opened during the procedure.

A little smoke , but no pain is noticed from the patient. The doctor then stitches the bottom part of the wound with desolvable stitches that would then desolve into the skin after the wound has recovered. The upper portion of the skin is then stitched with undesolvable stitches which need to be removed when the wound recovers.

There are many reasons why mole removal surgery is done. The mole could be removed due to cosmetic reasons, physical appearence, inconvenience and in some cases because it may lead to cancer of the skin. A sample of the mole is later sent to the lab for a biopsy to determine if it were malignant or benign. In this case the doctor was almost certain that it was benign because the patient had the mole for a very long time, and the mole did not evolve or grow larger.

Can Moles Develop into Skin Cancer?

It is an interesting fact that normal moles can develop into skin cancer. There are various types of skin cancer such as carcinoma and melanoma. Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are the skin pigment which produces dark pigment called melanin which gives the skin its colour. Melanoma is the most dangerous kind of skin cancer which can lead to death. However, melanoma is less common compared to other types of skin cancers. Doctors diagnose about 160,000 cases of melanoma yearly.

Detections of melanoma is more common in women than in men, and has a higher density in the area where people with fair skin, usually caucasian having a lot of exposure to the sun. Detections are mostly from countries such as Australia, New Zealand, North America, Latin America, and northern Europe. The world health organisation, WHO, reports some 48,000 deaths on an annual basis from melanoma related incidents.

The chance of cure is greatest when the tumour is small and thin and can be removed entirely using surgical methods. Early symptoms of melanoma are the change in skin colour or shape of existing moles. The occurance of a lump anywhere on the skin should be referred to a qualified dermatologist without delay. Dermatologist would then need to do a biopsy and test the sample taken in the labs under the microscope. Early signs of melanoma include the shape to be assymetric,  irregular borders,  change in colour, diameter greater than 6 mm and is constantly evolving over time. These symtoms do not relate to the most dangerous form of melanoma, nodular melanoma which has its own early symptoms which are aleviated above the skin, firm to the touch and is growing.

Metastatic melanoma can have other side effects such as loss of apetite, nausea, vomiting and fatique. Metastasis of early melanoma is possible but quite rare. Less than a fifth of melanomas that are detected early are metastatic.

The most common causes of skin cancer is genetic, too much UV radiation and too much exposure to the sun.

Lactate dehydrogenase tests (LDH) are used to screen for metastases. It is common for patients that have melanoma to undergo chest x-rays, and an LDH test, in some cases, CT, MRI, PET, PET/CT scans. In more severe cases, the lymph nodes are also examined to asses the spread.

Related Articles:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001853/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melanoma

The risks involved when removing a mole

To remove or not to remove, that is the question ! Well in today's highly advanced environment, there are techniques that even gurantee a very high level of success. Yet, risks still exist and are commonly overlooked, underestimated and not evaluated precautiously. Some risks if not prevented or addressed can cause issues after a while. The major risks of mole removal are listed below.

1) The risk of wrongly diagnosed with cancerous moles
2) The risk of infection
3) The risk of scarring
4) The risk of the mole growing back and spreading
5) The risk of the mole being cancerous
6) The risk of unstopable bleeding
7) The risk of wound mismanagement

Removal of Mole

Some precautions to be looked into prior to mole removal are mentioned in this article. Not all mole removal are successful, as such you should list down the advantages and disadvantages should the removal of the mole be a success or a failure. Some skin moles grow back rapidly even after being removed. Some removal of moles are successful removals.

There is no guarantee that the removal of a mole will be successful and permanant. As such, it is only wise to consider the drawbacks before making any decision. Decision to go ahead to remove a skin mole should only be done with the advise and consultation of a qualified doctor or dermatologist.

You also need to ensure that the surgical instruments used to remove the mole are properly sterillized prior to the surgery. Instruments used without sterillization can cause other problems and may even lead to infection of the wound. Mole removal technique used to remove the mole should also be discussed with an authorized and qualified skin specialist or dermatologist before any decision is made.

There are some doctors or skin specialist which are concerned whether the mole to be removed is of a cancerous type. Well, samples can be taken and sent to the labs for testing, but 100% surity could only be achieved after the mole has been removed.

Skin moles which have deep roots in the skin may eventually resurface and cause a reoccurance. Skin moles which are cancerous are best removed by a dermatologist rather than waiting for it to spread or metastasize and in some instances cause secondary tumors.

Mole Removal Using Surgical Methods

There are a few surgical methods to remove skin moles using surgery. First, the area on the skin will be cleansed and stearilized by the dermatologist and local anesthetic would be applied to numb the affected skin area. In some cases, where the affected area on the skin is a big patch, the dermatologist may use general anesthesia. Among the most commonly used method would be:



1) Excision method with stitches

In this method a surgical blade is used to remove the mole and the surrounding skin and also the underlying skin in a shape of an oval. The size or amount of skin that will be cut out depends on the surgeon for the need of removing the mole. The surgeon then stitches the upper layer of the skin with non dissolving stitches or if the wound is deep, the surgeon may use dissolving stitches to stitch the underlying part of the wound. Stitches on the upper side of the skin would then be removed a few days or weeks later depending on the size of the wound and the time taken for the wound to heal. This method is commonly used for moles that have potential to be cancerous or malignant.

2) Cauterization

This method is done using a cautering tool, by which the mole is burned away. There are no stitches or incisions made into the skinas the mole has been burn-sutured.

3) Shaving method

This method is normally prescribed for moles which are a few layers above the skin. This is not the preferred procedure for atypical moles as it in most cases would leave mole cells beneath the skin, which may or may not cause the mole to grow back. The mole is raised and removed with the scapel, leaving the area flush with the surrounding skin. After this is done, an electrical instrument is used to cauteriae of burn the area to stop the bleeding. Later, a topical antibiotic is applied to the wound to reduce the risk of infection. Lastly, a bandage is placed on the wound.

Mole Removal Using Laser Surgery

 Lasers are often used in areas which need great precision and accuracy. Guess what! Mole removal is one of those areas. Dermatologist and skin specialist most often prescribe laser treatment as one of the most effective ways of removing moles from the skin. Recent study shows that 8 out of 10 cases that undergo treatment with lasers achieve success and do not show reoccurrence of growth of the skin mole.

Although it is costly, mole removal using this technique often show a high percentage of success and non reoccurrence of moles in the same area. Furthermore, lasers are highly precise and easily controlled using computers with a fixed grid on the surface of the skin. As such, laser surgeries are often done by computers and robots and not the human touch. As such, the risks of scarring, bleeding or removing more than needed areas of the skin is highly minimal and only occur in rare cases.

Computers and automated robots have the advantage of being highly measured, precise, and deliver consistent results every time. Laser treatment for mole removal may even last a few sessions depending of the kind of moles removed. Small moles would take a day, but larger ones may need the patient to re-visit the dermatologist a few times.

Laser treatment is usually done under light anesthetics that numb areas of the skin that be being treated. As such, there would be very little pain as many have reported it to feel like a slight tingling or a snap of rubber band against the skin. After treatment, the area treated is a bit darkened or reddish as the mole would turn into a scab which will fall off within 2 weeks. Because the sensitive new skin under the mole is sensitive towards the sun, it is advisable to protect the area of the skin from sunlight or to use sun block if exposure to the sun is inevitable.

It is normal practice for laser surgery done under local anesthesia; however some may need general anesthesia which poses a greater risk than local anesthesia. Infection is another risk of noninvasive surgery but it is minimal compared to other kinds of surgery.

Proper surgical gloves and apparatus used during surgery decrease the risk of infection. It Incomplete treatment may result in pain, infection, bleeding, scarring and skin color changes. Scarring is not a big risk in laser treatment and discoloration may occur which will decrease over time. There is a possibility for laser treatments to only lighten the mole and not entirely remove it from the skin.

The cost of laser treatment varies from the cheapest at $50 per session to $300 per session. Some dermatologists even charge extra for after surgery wound management. As such, laser mole removal treatment cost varies on a case to case basis.

For more tips, techniques, strategies and insights on mole removal techniques please visit Mole Removal Techniques