Mole removal can usually be done by a dermatologist in a single office visit. There are several techniques used to remove a mole:
Shave excision
During shave excision, your doctor will give you a local anesthetic to numb the area around the mole. Then, a thin tool similar to a razor is used to gently slice away your mole and some tissue beneath it. Your doctor may also use a device with a small electrode at its end to perform a procedure called electrosurgical feathering. The feathering is done to help reduce the appearance of the excision as it can blend the edges of the wounds with the skin that surrounds it. In most cases, no stitches are needed for a shave excision. Once the surgery is completed, your doctor may examine the mole under a microscope to check for signs of skin cancer.
Surgical excision
Surgical excision is deeper than a shave excision. After numbing the area of the mole, your doctor will cut out the entire mole, the subcutaneous fat layer underneath it, and some healthy skin around it using a scalpel or a sharp, circular blade. The wound is then closed with stitches.
Laser mole removal
Your doctor starts this procedure by applying local anesthesia around the area of the mole you want to remove. Then, laser ray is directed to the cells that form the mole. These cells absorb the laser ray, causing the mole to fumes away from the surface of your skin, while the adjacent skin remains intact.