Scales, Rays, And Radio Waves: What You Need To Know About Moles And Mole Removal
There are more cases of skin cancer diagnosed each year than breast, lung, colon, or prostate cancer combined. With that statistic so prevalent in the minds of Americans this summer, all should pay more attention to one particular blemish -- the mole. But how do you know which moles are fine and which ones have to go? And once you know, how do you know which method of removal will be best? If you're wondering about these questions, then here's what you need to know.
The Mole Scale
When going to a dermatologist for a mole that's causing you worry, the mole will generally be 'graded' on a few characteristics and receive points. Like in golf, the goal is to keep the score as low as possible. If the mole has changed size, shape, or color (darker, patchy, or multicolored in any way), your doctor will give it two points. After the doctor has checked for these three big markers, they'll move onto smaller ones, checking if the mole is bigger than 7mm, if it's oozing or bleeding, if it's painful (or itchy or tingling), and if it's inflamed or irritated.
Scoring 0 points means that your mole is totally normal. 1-2 points usually results in your doctor telling you to keep an eye on it, but not to worry overmuch unless it changes. If one of your moles scores 3 points or above, your dermatologist will probably recommend that the mole be removed.
Methods of Removal
Electrosurgery, the use of a scalpel, and freezing the mole off are all methods of mole removal that have been used for decades by dermatologists to get rid of moles. But what if you're looking for something a little more hi-tech? Radio wave removal is a new technique where radio waves are used to power an electrode which cuts the mole off, leaving behind mole-less skin -- all in about a minute. Though no procedure can guarantee that a scar won't be left behind afterwards, this procedure results in either no scar or a scar much smaller and less noticeable than the original scar.
If radio waves aren't your favorite frequency, lasers might be more your speed. While this procedure does have the drawbacks of destroying the mole (which means it needs to be tested before removal) and not removing the roots of the mole, it works wonderfully on flat, surface moles and generally has a low chance of scarring (around 1%). An added bonus is that multiple moles can be removed in a session, meaning that this is a good choice if you have many flat moles you want removed.
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