Can I shaved off mole recur worse than the original one?

Question

If a mole is removed by shaving it off, can it recur to look worse than the original mole was (e.g. more patchy or more raised)? or would the recurring mole be similar to the original one? Many thanks

Sam Naficy, MD, FACS · Answer

When a mole is removed by shaving it off, there is no guarantee that it will not recur.  I usually recommend that if the mole is on the face, a shave excision with biopsy is advised.  If that mole keeps recurring, then a complete surgical excision may be recommended.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD · Answer

A true mole (nevus) is a full thickness lesion of the skin and if is to be removed, a full thickness excision is necessary.  Shaving for the purpose of diagnosis will most often lead to a recurrence.

Vishnu Rumalla, MD · Answer

Shaving a mole leaves some cells behind which may grow and the mole recurs.  In terms of its appearance, you must evaluate the look of the mole vs how you look now vs what the scar of a complete excision would look like.

Stanley Okoro, MD · Answer

It is possible for a mole to recur if it was shaved off. If the mole is cancerous, the original depth may not be determined. If the specimen is evaluated, a cancerous mole may be missed. For this reason, I prefer to excise the mole completely. Full excision is the best way to ensure complete removal and evaluation. All mole specimen should be sent to the pathologist for full analysis. I hope this helps.

Tal T. Roudner, MD, FACS · Answer

The answer is yes and it usual does. The shaving method is great for getting a diagnosis of the lesion especially when it is located in an area that is aesthetically important such as eyelid, nose, lip, and ears. A full excision in those cases may cause a deformity or would require reconstruction.

	I used the shave biopsy on occasion but most of the cases a full excision is performed to avoid recurrence and give a better aesthetically looking scar.

	Good Luck!

Can I shaved off mole recur worse than the original one?

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Can I shaved off mole recur worse than the original one?

Answers (10)

Answer: Mole Removal

Answer: Mole Removal

Answer: Mole Recurrence

Answer: Mole Recurrence

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Everything you need to know about Mole Removal

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