Removing Raised Moles and Warty Lesions Hampshire UK

 

  • The best cosmetic result and cheapest treatment is provided by curettage. This removes the mole to leave a graze that heals within 1-2 weeks.
  • If a mole is more than 8mm in diameter or you wish to remove the hairs, the mole is best cut out and the wound edges stitched together.

 

What is curettage?

  • The mole or wart is removed with a sharp surgical blade to leave a shallow graze that heals, under a plaster, over 7-14 days.

 

What cosmetic result can I expect?

  • Usually a perfect result, if removed by an expert.
  • If you have been a sun-worshipper, there may be a faint white mark.
  • If the mole is pigmented, there may be a few flecks of pigment left in the wound.
  • The thicker and larger the mole, the more likely it is to leave behind some pigment and a white mark.

 

Why do moles become raised?

  • Moles that were flat during childhood can be stimulated to thicken and become raised by the hormones produced during adolesence.
  • Facial moles can become raised later in life. The cause is unknown but often there is a family tendency to make raised moles. (Sometimes in exactly the same place.)

 

Does this mean the mole is turning into a skin cancer?

  • Almost always no. Moles usually enlarge very slowly over a number of years and this is a benign process.
  • If your mole has enlarged over a few months, have it checked by a Dermatologist.

 

What are the advantages of curettage?

  • It is a more economical treatment than surgery that involves stitches
  • It leaves a better cosmetic result
  • You can continue to exercise while the wound heals
  • There are few post-operative complications

 

Which areas respond best?

  • The face heals the fastest after curettage and leaves the best cosmetic result
  • Curettage at other sites will sometimes leave a white mark, either because the skin lesion was large or because it was surrounded by sun-damaged skin.

 

Is it safe?

Yes, it is an extremely safe procedure.

 

Does curettage hurt?

Once the skin has been numbed with an injection of local anaesthetic, the operation is painless.

 

How will I look immediately afterwards?

If you are treated at the Wessex Skin Clinic, the wound will be covered with an inconspicuous,  flesh coloured, flat, Micropore dressing.

 

Is there any important aftercare?

If you are treated at the Wessex Skin Clinic

  • You will be supplied with the necessary dressings
  • Shown how to use them
  • Given a post-treatment information sheet
  • Given an emergency contact number to use in the unlikely event that you have any problems.

 

What side-effects does curettage produce?

  • The healed wound remains pink for a few weeks
  • If exposed to strong sunlight during this time, it will tan more than the surrounding skin.
  • Deeper larger wounds may leave white marks.
  • Large brown moles on the limbs and trunk tend to leave some pigment in the healed wound.

 

Who shouldn't have curettage?

  • Women in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy
  • If you have a tendency to form keloid scars, be sure to seek treatment from an experienced Consultant Dermatologist or Plastic Surgeon.