I have a mole on the border of my lip that I need to have removed. Mole Removal by Dermatologist or Plastic Surgeon?

Although dermatologists are completely qualified to remove moles, plastic surgeons are more qualified to keep the scar minimum afterwards.
Depending on your insurance, it may be possible for your excision to be covered, even if it is removed by a doctor outside of the network.
If your main objective is to have your face looking as if nothing were ever there, it is worth the expense for a board certified plastic surgeon to remove your mole. Especially since it is bordering your lip, which is a very delicate area, I recommend you find a plastic surgeon in your area.

 Any removal of a malignant mole around the lip is best done with pathologic confirmation. After that pathology confirms the malignancy is fully removed, the repair would best be done by a plastic surgeon.   Many plastic surgeons also do the excision of the mole as well. I would check with your local plastic surgeon who specializes in skin malignancies.

DEFINITELY go to a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon. The lips are a complex area that even general surgeons don't spend a lot of time with. You may first see someone who does Mohs surgery, but then the next step is closure by the plastic surgeon. 

Our office specializes in non surgical and surgical mole removal in Los Angeles. Treatments are usually performed on an outpatient basis. Raffy Karamanoukian MD FACS

It may be best to have the lesion removed by a Mohs surgeon and then see a facial plastic surgeon perform the reconstruction.  

Although plastic surgeons can remove moles, most don't know whether the mole is deep or superficial or where the edges begin and end or whether the lesion is a mole or a keratosis or fibroma etc...and they tend to cut and stitch everything whether it needs it or not.  This is where the derm surgeon has the most expertise and can remove the lesion without over cutting the skin for a bigger scar than is necessary. Many lesions that look like moles can be curretted or shaved rather than cut out and therefore give the best results and often a little superficial dermabrasion will give the best looking results as the scar heals.  Also you want your doc to follow the healing of the excision and if any recurrances etc... which only a derm surgeon can do.  Sincerely,

David Hansen,MD

Your choice and you certainly have options. If it was my face I would pick the surgeon with the most training and experience. That would be a board certified  by the American Board of Plastic Surgery plastic surgeon. Additionally if extra normal skin needs to be removed as in the case of many melanomas and aggressive skin cancers, the plastic surgeon would best be equipped to reconstruct the defect in most cases. Also please note that "Facial Plastic Surgeons" usually refer to an ENT surgeon and not a dermatologist.

You need a surgeon who is trained in removal and reconstruction of lip defects.  If your surgeon is board certified in plastic surgery you can be confident he/she is well trained to perform this procedure.  That being said there are other doctors that may be qualified through experience and post residency training to do this type of surgery.  You should do some research and understand what kind of training your doctor has, since every  doctor with a medical license is permitted to practice as a physician and surgeon regardless of post medical school training.

There are some instances where a Moh's procedure is appropriate in which case the defect created can be reconstructed by a plastic surgeon or whoever the dermatologist feels is qualified.

It is unclear what your lesion is and malignant it is.

Although I might have a biased opinion, I would recommend that you see a board certified plastic surgeon who treats a lot of facial lumps and bumps and has experience in delicate reconstruction in the lip area.  If your lesion is malignant, to remove it completely may require that a significant portion of what appears as 'normal' tissue must also be removed to minimize the risk of the cancer coming back.  This may leave you with a significant wound that requires the expertise of a plastic surgeon to reconstruct it.

Sincerely,

Martin Jugenburg, MD

Either or a dermatologist or a facial plastic surgeon is qualified to remove skin cancers and repair the defect. What you need to do is find a doctor with a good reputation that you feel comfortable. In my city I work closely with several specialized dermatologists that remove skin cancers where I am consulted for cosmetically sensitive reconstructions. This arrangement works out well for the patient.
In your case you have a more unusual case if you do indeed have a malignant mole which implies a melodic carcinoma. These types are much more tricky to treat and there is debate about how much of a margin (extra skin) you need to take. I advise you to seek several consultations and find someone in your area that treats a lot of melanoma for their opinion. You should also educate yourself on the current therapy for you cancer as this is an evolving science. Hope this helps.

Although many Dermatologists are perfectly capable of removing a mole on your lip, most would have no objection if you wanted to see a Facial Plastic Surgeon or Plastic Surgeon. I have a number of Dermatologists refer to me in my area and they generally tend to be patients who have a higher degree of concern about how the scar will eventually look. As Dr. Zubowicz pointed out, the greatest priority is having the malignancy removed.