Moles that are painful and irritated by daily living are should be removed. These moles may interfere with shaving or may rub against clothing. The techniques used to remove these moles are the same as those used to remove moles that are cosmetically undesirable.

There are many people who have one or more moles that they see as detracting from their overall appearance. Not all undesirable moles, however, are candidates for cosmetic mole removal. Deciding which moles are appropriate candidates requires careful judgment.

There are two main methods used for mole removal. Moles can either be shaved off of the surrounding skin or excised with the underlying and surrounding skin and then stitched. For best results, the physician customizes the technique best suited for the individual. The shave excision method is the most frequently selected method for mole removal, as it tends to produce optimal cosmetic results for most cases. Shave excision is also generally best for moles that are irritated by clothing or shaving. For shave excision, the skin around and under the mole is injected with lidocaine anesthetic. This takes away any minor pain of the procedure. It also raises and firms the skin treatment site. Then a small sharp scalpel blade is used to precisely remove the raised and pigmented mole tissue while leaving a cut surface that is flush with the surrounding skin.

Skin tags typically appear as people age. Skin tags are quite common in people 60 and older. Skin tags are more common in women. A tendency to develop skin tags may run in families. Skin tags also develop commonly after pregnancy.

Skin tags appear most often in skin folds of the neck, armpits, torso, beneath the breasts or in the genital region. They can become an irritation if they occur in an area where clothing or jewelry rubs against them, and they may be unsightly.

Our practicioners will remove your skin tags with sharp scissors, a sharp blade or, less commonly, by freezing or burning them off at the stalk. Bleeding can be stopped with a chemical (aluminum chloride) or electric (cauterizing) treatment.

If you have any questions about Cyst Removal, Mole Removal, Skin Tag Removal, or Wart Removal feel free to contact Pullman Family Medicine, Pullman Washington 509-332-3548.