Cosmetic Facial Mole Removal

Occasionally a facial mole is considered a beautiful, distinguishing mark, but some moles may make you feel uncomfortable about their appearance. Moles can vary in size and color and the treatment may be different depending on what it is. Lesions that have grown quickly or have changed in size, shape or color may need to be biopsied if they are suspicious for skin cancer or melanoma. When examining your moles, consider the “ABCD’s” to help determine if you need to see your doctor for an examination and possible biopsy. “A” stands for “asymmetry” and means that one half of the mole obviously doesn’t look like the other half, or that one half of the mole is growing faster than the other half. “B” stands for “borders” or “bleeding.” A mole that is suspicious for melanoma may have irregular borders that are wavy looking, rather than smooth. If a mole starts to bleed or spot, this may indicate that it is a skin cancer. “C” stands for color. Moles that have a significant change in color or have multiple hues such as tan, brown, black, blue or red may be suspicious for melanoma. “D” stands for diameter. A mole that is very large in size or one that is growing notably larger would be of more concern than a lesion that is not changing. If a skin lesion on your face or body has any of the “ABCD” characteristics, you should see your primary care physician or dermatologist to have it evaluated.

Most facial moles without the “ABCD” characteristics are benign and can be removed for cosmetic purposes. These lesions are treated in our office using local anesthesia. The procedure is quick with minimal discomfort and little to no downtime. Before removing it, Dr. LeVan will evaluate the lesion. Unless it is a skin tag, we do not recommend treatment of these lesions by shaving them off which is sometimes done in other offices. Instead, a surgically precise removal of the entire lesion including the base is done by Dr. LeVan to reduce the chances that it will grow back. The lesion is sent to the pathology lab for examination. Dr. LeVan performs a meticulous plastic surgery closure to give you a better cosmetic result.

If you are interested in having a facial mole removed and would like to schedule treatment, please call the office at (859)276-5577 or fill out our contact form and we will be happy to reserve an appointment time for you.