Lesion-Mole Removal

At the Surgery Center of North Florida we treat or remove a wide variety of growths and spots that, although not serious, are of cosmetic concern to our patients.  Different treatment methods are used depending on the type of lesion and its location.  It is therefore critical to have a proper diagnosis of the lesion before treatment is chosen.
 

LENTIGOS are benign, brown or tan colored spots that occur mainly in sun exposed areas.  With time they become larger, darker and often will develop a scaly rough surface.  These lesions are easily treated with either liquid nitrogen or lasers and generally leave an excellent cosmetic result.

SEBORRHEIC KERATOSES are benign, warty growths that are either grey or brown/tan in color and have a "stuck on" appearance.  They get larger and stick out more with time.  They are not related to sun exposure and can occur anywhere on the body.  Some people can develop dozens of these lesions as they age.  We treat these lesions very successfully with liquid nitrogen.  The larger and thicker these lesions become, the more difficult they are to remove and therefore early treatment is recommended.  Some of the larger lesions may need to be removed by excision.

PAPILOMAS (Skin Tags) are soft brown growths often with a narrow stalk that usually occur on the eyelids, neck, underarms, under the breasts and in the groins. They become larger with time.  Some people will develop multiple lesions and there is often a family history of these lesions.  Dr Brill will remove these spots by a simple surgical procedure, without stitches.  They generally heal leaving an excellent result and several can be removed in a single session.

CHERRY HEMANGIOMAS are dome-shaped bright red spots that can occur anywhere on the skin surface.  They may be single or multiple.  In some instances patients can develop hundreds of these lesions.  There is sometimes a family history of similar spots.  They become larger and darker red in color with time.  If treated early, when they are small and bright red, they can be removed completely with laser treatment without scars.  The cosmetic results tend to be excellent and multiple spots can be treated in a session.

SPIDER TELANGECTASIAS (Burst blood vessel) are small benign vascular lesions that disappear when pressure is applied.  They often have central slightly raised round area with thin red lines radiating from it (like a spider!). Although usually of cosmetic importance, rarely if multiple, spider telangectasias can be a sign of systemic disorders such as liver disease.  Once it is determined that the lesions are of cosmetic importance only, Dr Brill and his dedicated staff treat them with lasers or cautery and, in the vast majority of cases, achieve excellent results in 1 or 2 treatments.

NEVI (Moles) are common growths that start off as flat, pigmented spots.  With time they generally become elevated and dome shaped and eventually become fleshy and less pigmented.  Non-cancerous moles tend to be of even color and regular outline whereas cancerous moles (melanoma) tend to display irregular color and irregular outline.  Correct diagnosis is essential prior to treatment. Naevi which are of cosmetic importance are removed by a shave excision without stitches (sutures) or by excision and suturing.  The preferred method depends on various factors including, the size, location and color of the spot.  Removal of moles will leave a scar but this is generally not very noticeable.  Before removing a mole, we attempt, as much as is possible, to explain to the patient what cosmetic result can be expected.

Junctional Melanocytic Naevi:  This is the most common type of mole on the skin. They are small in diameter, round and fairly flat. Although some babies are born with this sort of moles already, most develop as people get older, most commonly in the first 30 years of life.  Moles can appear anywhere on the body and they are more common in people with fair skin than in people with darker skin.

Dermal Melanocytic Naevi:  This is the second most common types of mole found.  They are generally more raised and bumpy than the first sort of moles and can also be hairy. It is also important to state that most people have a combination of many different sorts of moles on their body and don’t have just one type or the other.  The dermal melanocytic naevi mole is often lighter in color and can be light enough as to be skin colored.  They can occur anywhere on the body and people with this sort of mole on the face often wish to have them removed as many consider them to be unsightly, or feel embarrassed about having them.

Halo Naevi:  Halo naevi moles are a standard mole surrounded a circle of white, which makes the halo.  They are caused when the white blood cells in the body attack the mole.  The cause of them is unknown, and this sort of mole is more common in people who suffer from problems with the pigment in their skin, such as vitiligo.  As a larger area of the skin is affected than with a standard mole, there may be a greater demand to have them removed.

Clark’s Nevus or Atypical Nevus:  Atypical is another way of saying not normal, and these sorts of moles are ones which are showing pre-cancerous changes.  People with these sorts of moles do not have cancer and should not be concerned. It does mean though that their moles have a higher chance of changing into malignant melanomas than moles which are not showing the changes such as an irregular outline, so it is vital that if these sorts of moles are identified on the body they should be monitored closely and reported to Dr Brill or your primary care doctor.  Your doctor may well want to take photographs so that accurate comparisons can be made over time and any further changes can be picked up quickly.  Although immediate removal is not always required, depending on the number and location of the moles it may be advisable to have the mole removed before any further changes take place.

Stay Sun Safe

Apart from having moles in the first place, regular sun exposure is a major factor in whether or not a patient will develop skin cancer.  Always use a high factor sunscreen and avoid getting sunburned.  Covering up during the hottest parts of the day when the sun is at its highest is also recommended.  Tanning beds should be avoided, as should be lying on a sun lounger trying to get a sun tan.  Use fake tanning products or creams if you want to get the sun kissed look without risking further damage to your skin.

Call for an appointment today:  352-331-7987 or 1-800-428-8419

Disclaimer: The information on plastic surgeon Dr. Roger T Brill’s website is not to be taken as medical advice. The content on these pages have been created only to provide information about plastic surgery procedures available at the Surgery Center of North Florida.  The information contained herein is not intended to replace medical advice offered by physicians or other healthcare professionals.  We strongly recommend that prospective patients independently confirm all qualifications and expertise of the selected surgeon by contacting the medical boards and surgical societies to which they belong. Disclaimer page and Privacy Policy