OVERVIEW

Melanocytic nevi (moles) are results of benign proliferation of melanocytes with special features like presence in nests and such cells are called nevus cells. Melanocytic nevi can be of two types; congenital or acquired. Congenital melanocytic nevi (CMN) are usually present at birth or within few months of life and acquired melanocytic nevi develop later in age. Small tiny moles are not of concern but when they are numerous and large, patient may need removal of such moles because of cosmetic concern or chances of cancerous changes. Removal of mole by Laser is like office procedure without any side effect.

Causes

There are some predisposing factors related to formation of mole.

• Family history
• Degree of sun exposure specially during childhood
• Skin type (lighter skin have more numbers of mole than darker skin types)

Symptoms

Congenital melanocytic nevi: They are either present at birth or develop within few months after birth. These are usually solitary dark brown to black in color, with geographic or irregular borders. Some CMN may have dark thick hairs.  They may gradually in size in proportion to child’s growth to attain its maximum size till adulthood. Average increase in Head CMNs is 1.7 fold, trunk and upper extremities CMN is 2.8 folds and lower extremities CMN is 3.3 folds. With size there may be surface changes in lesions. Flat lesions may become elevated with rough surface. Larger CMN (giant) may have nodules within lesions and small satellite nevi in surrounded skin.  There are some pattern based on location of CMN like upper back & neck, central back, bathing trunk distribution, breast/belly pattern, extremity and body.

Acquired melanocytic nevi: They begin to appear after first 6 months of life. With age they may increase in number and usually reach to peak in 30s. Sometimes they disappear too with age.They are usually < 6mm in size and present with uniform color, round to oval shaped with regular border. They develop more commonly in sun-exposed sites. Covered sites like lower limb may have moles especially in female. Palm and sole may also have mole, commonly in dark skin people. Based on presence of nevi cells in different layers of skin they can be of following types:

Junctional nevi- flat or minimally raised.Brown to black in color.

Compound nevi- some degree of elevation. Surface is smooth and dome shaped. Tan to dark brown in color.

Intradermal nevi- When nevus cells are present in dermis, they lost their tendency to produce color. So these are skin colored to light brown colored dome shaped lesion with rubbery texture. They may have terminal hair.

Treatment

Diagnosis

Dermatologist usually diagnoses them clinically. Dermoscopy may help to differentiate specific features of different types. In white skin individuals where some types of these mole need close observation to rule out malignant changes at early stage dermoscopy play important role. Sometimes they need biopsy to rule out malignancy changes.

Treatment of moles

There is no medicine or cream, which can clean mole or remove moles.
Moles need to be removed with laser or surgical treatment. Mole removal treatments are :

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA): It is useful for small and superficial moles. After giving local or topical anesthesia mole will be removed with RFA device layer by layer. It may take 10-15 minutes. Post treatment topical antibiotic need to be applied for 5-7 days. There will be thin scab formation will fall off in 7-10 days.

CO2 Laser mole removal: It is suitable for any type of mole except large giant CMNs. It can be done with numbness cream sometimes in large lesions local anesthesia may be required. It removes mole more precisely and faster than RFA.Wound is clearer than RFA treatment and less care is required than RFA. End outcome of CO2 laser is more acceptable cosmetically than RFA. If lesion is large or deep it can be done in two sessions, which help in avoiding post treatment depressed scar.

Shave excision: It is suitable for superficial and small moles. With help of blade mole will be shaved off from skin.

Surgical Excision: It is suitable for large mole or above treatments are not possible. Surgery can be planned as single session for smaller lesions or multiple sessions will be needed for larger lesions. Flap surgeries are also an option for large CMNs.

Chances of recurrence: If treatment was done carefully and all mole tissue has been removed completely chances of recurrence are very less.

TIPS

Don’t Use any home remedy. It can leave bad scars, which are more difficult to treat than moles.
Contact your dermatologist if you observe any atypical change in mole.

What is a cancerous mole look like? Or

What kinds of moles are dangerous? Or

When should you be concerned about a mole?

Larger size, asymmetric, irregular border, uneven colors are common features of cancerous mole. When you see such changes in any mole you should visit your dermatologist.

Are raised moles bad?

Not necessarily. Normal moles can be flat or raised. There are other features, which should be kept in mind while looking for bad signs of mole.

Why am I getting moles all of a sudden?

As such there is no well-defined cause of sudden increase in mole. Moles may develop from early childhood to early adulthood varying in number. Family history, hormonal changes like pregnancy or puberty may play role in development of new moles. Sometimes they are tiny in size but with sun exposure they may become more visible.

Can I get rid of a mole by myself?

No. All home based crude methods results in bas scaring which look worse than mole.

Is laser mole removal effective?

Yes, It is most common and fastest way to remove moles without any side effects.

Why should I choose Dr. KothiwalaSkinEva Clinic for mole removal treatment in Jaipur?

Detailed consultation with best dermatologist in Jaipur Dr. Sunil Kothiwala MD (AIIMS)
All treatment options are available under one roof.
Expertise in laser mole removal treatment and suture less surgical removal of mole.
Cost effective laser mole removal treatment

For more information on Moles (nevi) or to inquire about other services please contact us on 7669571405.