Laser Treatment for "Fleshy" Facial Mole Removal

It is often recommended to do a shave biopsy and then lasering the remaining portion of the mole to achieve a nice contour.  By shaving the mole, there is a chance that the mole will return.  The other options is to do a complete surgical excision of the mole in which you would be trading in the mole for a linear scar.  

A mole can be shaved off (it is cut flush with the skin surface leaving behind the deep part of the mole) or cut out (the entire mole, including the extension beneath the skin is removed).  The second option is clearly a more definitive removal but the shave can also have great looking result although the likelyhood of it growing back is greater.  Either of the two techniques provides a sample that is then sent to a pathologist for examination under a microscope to ensure that the lesion is not cancerous.

Removal of moles on the face should be done in the most non-invasive way possible to avoid permanent scarring. The biggest decision is whether this is clearly a benign lesion or whether it warrants further pathologic diagnosis. Check with your dermatologist or plastic surgeon. 

Most board-certified dermatologists would share with you that every year, there are few surprises of what seem to be benign appearing 'fleshy' moles whose pathology come back as malignant. Lasers such as Nd:Yag lasers may be used only if pathology confirms benign nature of the moles. Shave excision is fine to proceed first because if you are not happy with the way it looks afterwards, you always have a chance to re-excise it; however if you excise first, you are going to be stuck with a tiny line and there is no going back.

Flesh colored moles rarely ever turn bad and are very easy to be removed. A dermatologist can look at the moles and tell you what it is and how the best way to remove it cosmetically. If it is shaved off, half the time it never recurs and looks great at a cost of $150-250 each. If it recurs in 5-10 yrs then you just shave it down again. If it is in an area that allows itself to be excised with minimal tiny line scar then it is roughly $350-500 and almost never comes back. Both methods are done under local anesthesia and in a matter of only a few minutes with NO pain afterwards. Never laser a mole if you can help it.