Who is laser mole removal suitable for?
Laser mole removal is suitable for people who do not have suspicious looking moles that could potentially be cancerous. It is great for people who want to remove moles while minimising the risk of scarring.
How many sessions will I need?
· While one session may be enough to totally remove the mole and achieve a nice result, it may take several sessions to totally flatten the mole and achieve the smoothest surface possible. We prefer to be cautious and get the best end result possible rather than going too aggressive in a single treatment. Typically it will take 1-3 treatments, but it can take more than that.
Does it permanently get rid of moles?
·While in the majority of people the mole will be gone for good, there is a chance with laser mole removal that the mole will recur. This is because a few cells of the mole might be left behind and the mole can grow back from this. If this happens we can just repeat the laser mole removal treatment. It is best to let us know early if you see the mole coming back so we can retreat while there is less of the mole to remove.
What type of laser does The Manse use to remove moles?
We have different technologies to remove moles at The Manse including radiofrequency excision, laser mole removal and shave excision. For smaller moles the laser alone will be enough. We use an Er:YAG laser which targets the water in the skin to remove the mole layer by layer. With larger moles we may need to reduce the size of the mole with excision and further flattening it with the laser. This 2 step process will incur an additional cost.
Does it hurt?
·The laser alone is on the less painful side of cosmetic treatments. We can numb the areas with local anaesthetic injections to totally remove the pain. The choice whether to use local anaethetic or not will depend on your preference and what is needed to achieve the best aesthetic result. The injection of local anaesthetic may be more painful that the laser.
What is recovery like?
You will probably form a scab in the treated area in the first day after treatment. This will gradually reduce in size and fall off as new skin starts to form over the wound. You should apply silicone gel twice daily to the treated area to minimise the risk of scarring. You may be red for a few weeks to months at the site after treatment which is just part of the healing process. If the mole is not totally flat, do not worry, this might mean you need an additional session to further flatten the mole.
Laser mole removal vs other options?
The biggest benefit of laser mole removal is the reduced risk of scarring as we try to get the wound as close to the surface of the skin as possible without going too deep. The tradeoff is that sometimes this leaves some mole cells behind that can regrow. Laser mole removal is a great option for important aesthetic areas such as the face where getting a scar would be less desirable. This does not mean there is no risk of scarring with laser mole removal however. As we are wounding the skin, there is still a low risk of scarring.