Larisa Ravitskiy, MD

Photographs are difficult to interpret. Your best bed would be a face-to-face consultation with a dermatologist specializing in skin surgery, such a Mohs surgeon.

Based on the photograph, it appears you have a compound nevus - it is a mole that has superficial pigmented component and a deeper one. The deeper component may result in mole re-growth if not removed completely. Thus, excision of the mole followed by reconstruction is the best way to eliminate the possibility of regrowth. This is not a major procedure, but like any surgery will leave a thin linear scar.

The other approach would be shave removal. This will leave a smaller scar - the size of mole base. The recovery will be easier as well. The only risk is that the mole may grow back.

As long as you find a dermatologic surgeon you trust, you will be pleased with the results.

You should see a dermatologist as soon as possible. In the meantime, obtain a copy of the pathology report from your doctor who biopsied the mole. Your dermatologist will appreciate having this information on hand to expedite decision making. When you call to schedule an appointment, you should be able to give the exact diagnosis as it appears on the pathology report. If it is sufficiently ominous, you may get in faster.

Based on the photograph, it appears you have a compound nevus - it is a mole that has superficial pigmented component and a deeper one. The deeper component may result in mole re-growth if not removed completely. Thus, excision of the mole followed by reconstruction is the best way to eliminate the possibility of regrowth. This is not a major procedure, but like any surgery will leave a thin linear scar.

However, final recommendation can only be given after a face-to-face consultation

Based on the photograph, it appears you have a compound nevus - it is a mole that has superficial pigmented component and a deeper one. The deeper component may result in mole re-growth if not removed completely. Thus, excision of the mole followed by reconstruction is the best way to eliminate the possibility of regrowth. This is not a major procedure, but like any surgery will leave a thin linear scar.

However, final recommendation can only be given after a face-to-face consultation.

MiraDry is not covered by insurance despite working very well for hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating).

Actual costs of the procedure have some variability, but usually ranges from $1950 to $2100 for the fist treatment. Packages area available, but 80% of patients only need one treatment. Second treatment can be purchased separately for $900 to $1050.


But! After your first treatment will you will receive permanent sweat and hair reduction. One treatment may reduce sweating by as much as 82%.


Each treatment lasts about 1 hour. There was minimal discomfort associated with numbing the 4-5 areas prior to administering tumescent anesthesia (large volume of dilute numbing solution that minimizes the number of shots you have to receive to be completely numbed for the procedure).