Mole removal in Birmingham and Solihull

If you are looking for mole removal then our specialist Dermatolgoists are able to provide you with sound advice and excellent operating skills. Based in Birmingham, we offer mole removal to all those in the vicinity including Solihull and the West Midlands.

When should I consider having a mole removed?

There are many reasons why you might want to have a mole removed. Some common reasons are:

  • You do not like how the mole looks
  • The mole has grown and has become very obvious and prominent
  • The mole is catching and rubbing – for example when you brush your hair, or wear certain jewellery or clothes
  • The mole stops you from shaving comfortably
  • The mole is an awkward or sensitive area
  • The mole keeps getting red and inflamed

What are medical reasons for mole removal?

Your Dermatologist may also advise you to have a mole removed for medical reasons. If you have been for a full skin mole check then your Dermatologist may have found a mole that needs removing. This is usually because the mole needs to be looked at under the microscope for specialist analysis called a biopsy. Your doctor may suggest a mole is removed if:

  • It is a new mole
  • The mole has changed – it may have grown, or become darker, or changed in its outline
  • The mole stands out from your other moles
  • The mole doesn’t look quite right for any other reason
  • There is a concern that the mole could have become cancerous

What is a cosmetic mole removal?

A cosmetic mole removal is removal of a mole because of its aesthetic appearance or because it keeps catching. The mole must look medically harmless when it is assessed by a Dermatologist for a cosmetic mole removal to be possible. About 85% of cosmetic mole removals are by shave excision and 15% are by excision with stitches.

We recommend cosmetic mole removal for raised moles which are stable and not deeply pigmented. We do not recommend or provide removal of flat moles for cosmetic reasons. If you need your moles assessed then we offer a full mole check consultation – this is much like a mole MOT.

What is a medical mole removal?

A medical mole removal is where your Dermatologist has recommended a mole is removed so that it can be assessed for biopsy. 75% of medical mole removals are by excision with stitches and 25% are by shave excision (to a deeper degree that for cosmetic shave excision – this is known as saucerisation).

How is a mole removed in Birmingham?

Moles are removed either by shave excision or excision with stitches. We are among the few clinics in Birmingham that specialise in both forms of mole removal.

What happens during a shave excision?

The mole is checked by the doctor with a dermatoscope to ensure it is suitable for shave excision. If the mole is pigmented then you may require histological analysis. The mole is numbed with a fine anaesthetic injection. This stings for about 20 seconds and then the area will become entirely numb to anything painful. The raised part of a mole is then removed with a special blade called a dermablade. The edges are then blended to follow the contour as best as possible. An electrical device called a hyfrecator is used to seal any bleeding points. The wound that results is the same in out outline as the base of the mole and looks very much like a small graze with a scab. The roots are not removed during a shave excision.

What is the aftercare and recovery following shave excision mole removal?

The wound will take 10-14 days to heal after shave excision. A scab will form over the wound. Once healed, the area may appear red initially and with time this will gradually fade.

Immediately after the procedure, you may have a small plaster over the area or the wound may be covered with Vaseline. If there is a plaster, then you will be asked to keep this on for 48 hours after which you can remove it. The wound can be cleansed twice a day with a cotton pad and luke warm tap water to gently freshen the area. It is important not to pick the scab off but to let it separate naturally. Applying Vaseline 3 times a day will help soften the scab and let it separate faster. It will take about 10 to 14 days for the scab to separate. It is possible to get the area wet after 48 hours but avoid direct water spraying on the wounds. If the wound is in a sensitive area that keeps rubbing against clothing then it may be best to keep the wound dressed for 10 to 14 days. In this case, remove the dressing daily, cleanse with water and a cotton pad, apply vaseline and redress.

How quickly can I go back to work and to sports after a shave excision?

You can return to an office based job immediately after a shave excision. However we ask you to wait 10 days before considering swimming, watersports, exercise where you will sweat or will cause clothing to rub against the healing wound, saunas and steam rooms.

These are the things you should have ready before your shave excision

It will be helpful to you if you acquire the following in advance of your procedure:

  •  A new pot of Vaseline
  • Spot plasters if you have a small wound that will require dressing
  • Tegaderm +Pad Film dressing 5 x 7cm – these can be obtained in a pack of 10 or 25 and is useful if you need to dress wounds on the body or limb
  • Circular cotton pads

What are the benefits of shave excision mole removal?

The vast majority of patients have a very straight forward healing period and are very happy with the aesthetic results. The level of satisfaction from this treatment is very high.

Does shave excision cause a scar?

It is important to remember that shave excision is a surgical procedure and it is impossible to cut the skin and not create a scar. A small scar forms where the shave excision was carried out. This is usually slightly paler than the surrounding skin, and flat. Sometimes, as the scar matures, there can be a gentle depression. Some people are more prone to pale depressed scars than others. Once a scar has fully matured, which can take up to one year, it usually blends in very nicely with the surrounding skin.

What are the risks of shave excision mole removal?

Shave excision is a surgical procedure and as with any surgical procedure it is important to understand that there are risks. These are as follows:

  • Pigmentation – if the mole was pigmented, then some pigmentation may remain in the scar
  • New pigmentation – pigmentation may develop in the scar months or years later from the roots
  • The mole grows back – 1 in 20 find that the mole may come back. In this situation, a repeat shave excision is required.
  • Bleeding – the wound may bleed. This can be controlled by applying firm pressure with a cotton pad
  • Infection – very rarely, a wound may get infected
  • Lightening – a scar that results maybe paler than the normal skin tone. This is especially the case away from the face.
  • Depression – a gentle depression may develop over time
  • Temporary redness – the area may be red for a couple of months after the procedure
  • Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation – some skin types may be prone to temporary pigmentation following surgery that takes 6 months to settle
  • Persistence of hair – as hair follicles are below the surface of the skin, thick hairs may still continue to grow. If a mole is being removed because it is very hairy then an excision with stitches may be worth considering.
  • Keloid or raised scars – some people are prone to lumpy scars and this can occur after a shave excision as well.

What is mole excision with stitches?

This procedure is done if it is important for the roots to be removed. This might be the case if it is a very fleshy and deeply pigmented mole, if there are a lot of hairs growing through it, or if the mole is an area of the body where a stitched wound may be more suitable thank a shave wound. In this procedure, an ‘eye’ shape of skin is cut out and the wound is stitched. This leave a straight line scar. The scar is placed in natural skin creases and lines to camouflage it. The scar is about 3 to 4 times as long as the width of the mole being removed. This procedure is also carried out under local anaesthetic.

What are the risks of a mole excision with stitches?

A scar results, which may be red initially but will fade with time. Sometimes scars can stretch, and occasionally some people develop lumpy scars. There can be temporary numbness around the scar line. We ask you to rest for a couple of days after your procedure and to avoid exercise for about 14 days following a skin excision with stitches.

Removal of flat moles

Flat moles are only removed if there is a medical reason. The clinic only offers excision with stitches for flat moles.

How can I book a mole excision?

If you have 1 to 3 moles, then we are able to give you an indication on whether cosmetic mole removal by shave excision might be suitable and then book you in for a consultation and procedure on the same day. When you attend the moles will be examined first to ensure they are suitable for shave excision. In some instances your doctor will advise you to have histological testing which will incur an additional cost. If you decide not to proceed with a same day procedure, then a consultation fee applies.

You can read more about same day procedures.

A same day procedure is not suitable for every mole or skin lesion. If, based on the information you have provided our medical team find the following, then you would not be suitable for a same day procedure at our Clinic:

  • the lesion is not consistent with a mole or
  • your lesion or mole does not appear suitable for shave excision
  • or there are other concerns where the risks may outweigh the benefits

In these instances, you would  be invited to have a skin surgery consultation to discuss if a procedure is suitable and which kind.

If you have more than 3 moles, or if your moles are quite dark, flat or changing, then you would need to attend for a mole check consultation first where your moles can be reviewed by a Dermatologist and a plan made for each lesion. A mole check consultation is priced as a routine initial dermatology consultation. We do not offer removal of flat moles for cosmetic reasons.

What are the prices?

Fees for mole removals and mole check consultations can be found here.

Other skin lesions

We offer removal of warts, seborrhoeic keratoses, skin tags, genital skin tags, milia, cysts and lipomas as well.