Simi Valley Doctors

Dark Scar from Mole Removal on Buttocks, How Can It Be Treated? (photo)

About four months ago, I had a mole from my left buttock removed by a dermatologist. Now there's a purplish scar after it has healed. At first it was much darker but it has faded a little bit but it is still there. Will that ever go away? If not, what are my options to improve its appearance or get rid of it? Thank you.

Whether or not the dark scar persists is dependent upon what is causing it.

From your description it might be the dilated blood vessels in the scar causing it. If this is the case, it will likely improve with time. The pinkness (or purple color in this case) is generally the last thing to improve on the scar. It tends to gradually fade out. Since you say it seems to have improved, there is a good chance that it will improve with time.If it doesn't, the pulsed dye laser is sometimes used to improve the scar. It takes about 6-12 months to get the final cosmetic result from any surgical procedure so it's still early.

If the color is caused by pigment (i.e. some of the mole left behind), it may not resolve completely, but could benenfit from certain procedures such as cryotherapy or laser treatment.

Best option is to return to the doctor who performed the surgery and figure out which of the above is causing it and what can be expected. Best of luck.

Andrew Kaufman, MD

Los Angeles Dermatologic Surgeon

Ok to Wait 48hrs Between Mohs for a BCC on my Eyelid and Reconstructive Surgery?

Due to scheduling, I have my Mohs procedure scheduled on a Wed at 2PM with reconstructive surgery scheduled the following Friday at 11am (almost 48 hrs later). Is that to long of a wait? Thanks very much, George

The key thing is to have the reconstruction performed by the physician that you or your Mohs surgeon feels is most capable of performing the repair. Waiting 24-48 hours shouldn't be an issue, but it would probably be best to be taking antibiotics during that time to decrease the possibility of infection. Also, it should be clear who you should contact in that period if you have any problems or questions (i.e. the Mohs surgeon or the surgeon performing the repair). Talk to your doctors about this. Best of luck.

Andrew Kaufman, MD

Los Angeles Dermatologic Surgeon

What Can I Expect From Mole Removal Recovery By Excision?

Hello, I went to a plastic surgeon to see my mole and he suggested me to remove it by excision. I am worried about the recovery time because I dont want to go to my job with a big cut. My mole isn't big , its medium size and its in my face. How much time will it needs to heal? What will be the size of the wound after the surgery? Bigger than my mole?

There are basically two ways to remove moles (or nevi) on the face. The first is shave removal, also known as tangential excision. The second is excision. Tangential excision works best for skin-colored nevi, where the doctor has no suspicion that the lesion could be dangerous. Excision works best for darker colored nevi or if the doctor is concerned about a possible skin cancer. Recovery tends to be a little simpler and easier for the tangential method, but recovery for both techniques is fairly quick and easy. The best option is to discuss these techniques with your doctor and discuss recovery time, wound healing and expected cosmetic result.

Andrew Kaufman, MD

Los Angeles Dermatologic Surgeon