Birthmark Removal Surgery. A Primer
Birthmarks may be unsightly, unwelcome blemishes that have always been with us, but they are usually harmless to our physical health. If you have a birthmark that may increase your eventual chances of developing skin cancer, or that causes you pain as it becomes tender and bleeds, your doctor is likely to recommend its removal. Surgery is a common way to proceed.
It may be that you have a mole that brings no risk to your health but that you’d like to have removed for cosmetic reasons. Its very presence may bring you anxiety and discomfort. Surgery may be an option for the removal of your mole.
In this article, we look at what you can expect if you do decide to undergo the surgical removal of a birthmark. Though there are complicated cases where extraordinary measures must be taken, most birthmarks can be removed during a visit to a doctor’s office, clinic, or hospital. It is helpful to know what you can expect from this common procedure. Read on.
What should you expect?
- You can expect to be in the dermatologist’s office or hospital for less than an hour. Removal of a typical mole or raised birthmark does not present your surgeon with a challenge that requires an involved, and lengthy, procedure.
- You can expect that your entire birthmark will be removed, as well as some of the healthy skin that surround it – if your birthmark poses a health risk. This is because the surgeon will want to ensure that the suspect mole is not removed only to return with gusto in a month or two. This depth and width of the incision means that your wound will need to be sutured.
- You can expect the surgeon to treat a mole that is of no risk to your health a little differently. The surgeon will freeze the skin around the birthmark and gently cut it out; this method should require no sutures, and will heal well on its own.
- You can expect to feel very little to no pain during what is a common and uncomplicated procedure. Any discomfort that you experience in the days following your surgery should be minor and not a cause for concern.
- You can expect your skin to redden and a scab to develop after surgery. These are normal reactions to the surgery and will lessen within weeks.
- You can expect a very minor scar. Dermatologists are practiced in the art of creating the smallest, slightest scars possible.
Deciding whether to undergo any surgery is a decision that should be taken seriously. That said, you should know that the surgery to remove a regular birthmark is a low-risk one. You can expect a quick procedure that does not result in any complications or a lasting scar, and, perhaps best of all, to be rid of the birthmark that you have decided must go.
If after consulting with a surgeon you find that your particular birthmark cannot be surgically removed, and would be impervious to a laser treatment, there are other options. Most birthmarks can be expertly hidden with the right cosmetic product; there are several excellent choices on the market.
You might also consider committing to a regime that includes the regular application of a natural birthmark removal cream. Many have found that with regular application, a natural removal cream can result in your birthmark becoming less prominent or even disappearing. Dermatologists have spent treasure and energy developing these products; you may find that this noninvasive treatment is all that you require.
Whatever your eventual decision, may we bid adieu to your unwanted blemish?
