Moles are benign skin changes. Some people have them removed for purely aesthetic reasons. Sometimes there are also medical reasons for mole removal. In rare cases, moles can degenerate and develop into skin cancer. Removal is then sensible and necessary. Small moles can be surgically removed in just a few minutes. Larger moles and moles on the face require a little more effort.
Here you will find further information as well as selected specialists and centers for mole removal.
Moles are known medically as nevi or colloquially as moles. They are benign changes to normal skin. They develop from pigment cells in the skin. Their color can range from light to almost black.
Moles are often hereditary. Almost everyone has some moles. People with more than 50 moles have a slightly increased risk of developing skin cancer.
Almost everyone has moles © Voyagerix | AdobeStock
Medically, there are a number of different types of moles and their subgroups:
People often have their moles removed for aesthetic reasons.
There is a medical necessity for removal if a mole threatens to degenerate and develop into a melanoma. It is recommended, for example
In general, you should
moles, you should consult a dermatologist.
Surgical mole removal is always preferable to alternative therapies.
Ideally, the indication for the removal of a mole should be determined by a dermatologist. Small moles can usually be surgically removed under local anesthesia without any problems. The procedure only takes a few minutes.
For larger skin changes, especially on the face, a specialist in plastic and aesthetic surgery should be consulted. They can safely remove the birthmark, taking particular account of aesthetic requirements. Otherwise, even the removal of a small birthmark can leave a scar.
The defect is closed by a local skin transfer.
Serial excision is often used for very large changes. These are several procedures in which a piece of the nevus is removed again and again. The surrounding skin is stretched and removed piece by piece.
The use of a skin expander is also possible. A plastic bag with a valve is inserted under the adjacent healthy skin via an incision. After healing, the bag can be refilled with saline at regular intervals via the valve. This gently stretches the overlying skin.
If the skin is sufficiently stretched, the bag and the nevus are then removed in a second procedure. The defect is then closed using the stretched skin.
Depending on the complexity of the surgical procedure, all standard anesthetic methods are used:
With local anesthesia, the patient can return home shortly after the procedure under supervision. With the more complex procedures mentioned above, a short inpatient stay is to be expected.
No operation is without risks! However, in the hands of a trained specialist, the surgical and anesthesiological risks are very low.
Rare surgical risks are
should be mentioned.
Scar directly after the removal of a small birthmark © Carola Vahldiek | AdobeStock
After the removal of small nevi, it is only necessary to check the wound and remove the suture material. Depending on the location of the birthmark and the healing process, the stitches are removed after 5 to 14 days.
The situation is different for larger procedures, especially after the use of a skin expander. Regular checks should be carried out in conjunction with the filling of the expander. It can take several weeks to months to achieve the desired volume and stretching of the skin.
The costs for the medically indicated removal of moles are covered by health insurance.
The costs for the removal of moles purely for aesthetic reasons must be borne by the patient themselves.
The risks associated with the removal of moles can be minimized through treatment by an appropriately trained specialist.
The removal of a "normal" birthmark is a short, uncomplicated procedure. If there is a certain risk of degeneration, the procedure should definitely be carried out.
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