How to Minimize Scar After Mole Removal?

Anytime a lesion is removed there will be a scar. Scars can be placed in ways that minimize how noticeable they are and you certainly can use products like scar gels to help minimize their appearance, but ultimately there is no way to remove something surgically without leaving some sort of mark. You have to decide whether you would rather have the mole or a scar where it once was. The only way to know for sure what your likely result will be is to book a consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon near you. Best of luck!

Best Scar Management Practice after excision of mole from face

– Advice from Dr. Larry Nichter:

Best Scar Management is important to minimize or completely hide from view, the tell tale signs of surgery – namely, scars. Both you and your surgeon want you to have the most minimal scarring possible from your surgery.  Patients with scars that are enlarged or not healing well after surgery can be from many causes. Unsightly scars are most commonly due to genetics, underlying medical conditions or improper scar/wound care. The last part is very important and patients can make a noticeable difference in their scars’ appearance by following best scar management practices. Here are some simple tips.
Scar Management tips:
1- Minimize tension on the scar – Steri Strips and/or surgical tape are often placed in non-hair bearing areas to minimize tension and keep pressure over the scar.  This minimizes the stress that can pull the scar apart (dehiscence) creating a wound and  delaying healing time, and can make the scar wider, or more “ropy”.
2– Keep your incision site/scar clean to prevent infection. Follow your surgeon’s wound care instructions to the letter with out modification. NEVER apply different products then recommended without first discussing them with your surgeon. This is especially important during the first few weeks. If there are any signs of infection contact your surgeon’s office immediately and/or see your doctor or his nurse immediately. Typical signs of infection may include redness outside the immediate incision site, asymmetric swelling, and drainage, of pus, fever, chills, and “feeling sick”.
3. –Protect your scars from the sun - staying out of the sun is the best advice. Minimal exposure to sunlight is prevents hyperpigmentation (permanently turning brown) and other problems that can make the scar more noticeable. Sunscreen, at least 30 SPF and an overlying make camouflage make up additionally protects the scar from the suns harmful rays. This advice is especially important the first year following your surgery.  .
4. – Use specific scar maturation products recommended by your surgeon. Patients seem to have their own opinions on this touting everything from Pure Vit E, Coco butter, to Aloe Vera, etc but most have minimal benefit other than keeping the scar hydrated. Although hydration is important there are better, scientifically studied products with greater efficacy. Most of the scientific articles written about this subject indicate that topical silicone gel or silicone sheets work the best.  There are a lot of products to choose from, but silicone should be one of the key ingredients. Although Mederma, an onion extract derivative active ingredient rather than mainly silicone based may help, primarily silicone based products are better and many also contain other ingredients that may be synergistic (hydrocortisone or other steroid, Vitamin E, Sunscreen,etc). At the present time I prefer BioCorneum  or Kelo-Cote products and if the reader has problems obtaining these they can call my office. Patient compliance is also critical – use often and according to directions or it will not work optimally. NEVER apply products without first discussing them with your surgeon.
5. – Monitor to make sure your scar is progressing optimally. Keep your scheduled follow-up appointments with your surgeon to verify that your scars are maturing as expected.  Occasionally if indicated you may need a topical or injection of a steroid preparation or even a series of  injections (5-FU and/or Steroids) or laser treatments  to treat or  prevent scar hypertrophy or keloid formation (red raised scars), or other topical medicines to treat post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (brown scars) with prescription creams and possible laser treatments.

If the mole is raised, it may be just fine to have it shaved.  If the pigment is deep, a complete surgical excision may be necessary.  Either way, it is very important to minimize sun exposure on the area as it heals. 

Mole removal is an individualized procedure and based on the following factors:


Anatomic location

Suspicion of precancerous or cancerous based on history and individual characterisitcs of the mole

Individual threshold for a scar


Find someone who specializes in removing moles from the face and they will be able to guide you on the best way of having a mole removed.

Dr. Oppenheim is absolutely correct in his assessment of your problem. Scar excision of the chin would be preferable to shave excision transdermally. I would recommend a scar excision with multiple layers including absorbable sutures for the deep dermis and non-absorbable prolene sutures for the skin. Excision patterns should be placed along Langer's lines. After surgery, I would recommend application of Platos Scar serum.

The only way to establish whether a mole is benign or not is through laboratory pathology. It is impossible to say definitively that a mole "looks" benign. The best way to prevent scarring is to have the lesion completely excised (cut out). You especially want to avoid any type of treatment that will destroy the tissue such as laser or liquid nitrogen cryo therapy. These types of treatments leave no tissue for a pathologist to examine. 
Following the procedure you may have a small pink mark which will eventually fade over time and will certainly look better from a cosmetic standpoint than the mole that was previously on your face. 
If you are nervous, I would recommend seeing  a cosmetic dermatologist who has a passion for skin surgeries. 
Best, Dr. Shafa

The first requirement is that you choose a board certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon, one preferably with a few patients you might know.  There are some "great names" out there who produce not such great results and others who don't have the largest ads or who have not appeared on TV but do amazing work.In our office, we recommend Biocorneum as a good product to help minimize the appearance of scars. It's also good advice to massage the scar for the first six weeks or so.  

The only way to confirm that a lesion is benign is to remove it.  Excision with plastics closure should produce a fine line scar which will fade over time and also not be as noticeable as a pigmented lesion. Shaving the lesion is a temporizing situation as it will regrow.  Unless it is absolutely believed benign, I prefer excision; in the rare event of a melanoma, a shave will prevent staging the tumor.  Scar creams may be beneficial in assisting with the healing process.

I would highly advise you consult with a board certified plastic surgeon for best scarring results possible. A plastic surgeon will remove the mole completely and give you a small scar that will follow the natural curvature of the area and skin. Dermatix is a great silicone cream to apply to your scar once stitches are out and skin is healing. Be sure to follow your surgeons instruction pre and post surgery for best results.

Meticulous removal of the mole and suturing of the defect by a good board certified plastic surgeon is your best preventative measure.  Following removal of your sutures use of scar products such as Scar Guard, may help prevent the development of an unsightly scar.