What Can I Expect From Mole Removal Recovery By Excision?

Hello VagNik and thank you for your question.I instruct my mole removal patients to keep the surgical site covered for up to 12 weeks post-op.  Keeping the area from sun exposure will prevent pigmentation of a healing scar and ultimately result in the least visible outcome.  The size and shape of the scar will depend on the technique used to remove the mole.  Different surgeons have different techniques so it would be best to follow up with your surgeon for the answers to those questions. Good luck!

Removal of a mole in most cases should result in very little cosmetic change. For the most part, a simple mole removal results in an a closed incision same size as, or smaller (now that it is closed) than the original mole. A simple skin-tone colored piece of tape will hide it well. It is also possible to use clear sutures. 

Typically, a mole is excised as an ellipse of skin.  So, to close the skin evenly, the tradeoff is a lightly longer scar than the mole itself.  The scar will appear as a straight line probably oriented along natural skin wrinkle lines already present in your face.  The scar will initially look red and inflammed and then slowly fade and soften.  Once it has healed, you can apply camouflaging makeup even a week later. 

Mole removal by elliptical excision is a standard method used by plastic surgeons. Generally the wound heals in a week. The scar of excision in longer than the diameter of the mole. The scar maturation takes six months to one year to look better. If needed CO2 fractional laser can be used for the scar for better cosmetic appearance. 

It is always best to ask the surgeon who is going to perform this procedure these types of questions to be very sure of the answers but in my practice, the excision of a mole is quite simple. The area will be injected with enough local freezing that you won't feel anything. The mole will be removed and typically the site is only slightly larger than the mole itself. Typically, the sutures are removed 5-7 days following the procedure. A small skin toned bandage can be applied to make the area less noticeable when you return to work. 
Good luck and I hope this answer has been helpful.
Best regards,
Sheetal Sapra, MD

The wound should be healed within 1 week but it may take longer to gain its strength.  A scar can take 12-18 months to fully mature.

The surgical incision will be longer than the lesion, creating an ellipse which will be closed using plastic technique.  This can be covered with a bandaid. Sutures would be removed in about five to seven days.  The sutures can be covered by a bandaid and you can return to work the next day. You would not be going to work with a hole in your face or anything unusual.  You may have some surrounding bruising but nothing unusual.

This is a great question and is one of those situations we get asked each and every day. First, make sure that a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon sees this, and with you, determine the best way to remove the mole. Plastic surgeons usually recommend an excision with a linear line scar which on many occasions, may be bigger, or longer, than the original mole. If this is okay with you, than this works. If there is a visible scar remaining, laser treatments can minimize that result. Depending upon the size of the mole, and its color, some dermatologists may recommend using a scalpel and performing what typically is a shave excision for that mole. The mole is taken off flesh to the skin, a special wound dressing is applied, and on many instances, the healing leaves one with a minimal scar, sometimes almost none at all. And again, if something needs a laser touch-up, this also can be done in the future. Be careful — big scars are not needed any more.

Thank you for your question. Most patients find an incision line less conspicuous than a mole (nevus) on their face. During your convalescence, the swelling subsides rapidly in the first week after the procedure. The amount of bruising varies from almost none, to a lot and it depends mainly on the individual patient. The length of time it takes for the discoloration to disappear is basically the same as the time it takes for bruises to resolve elsewhere on your body. Sutures are removed in 5-7 days. After the procedure there are also several modalities of scar treatment that can be employed to help the scar as it matures through its lifecycle. I recommend that you make an appointment with a board certified plastic surgeon for a thorough exam and to discuss your surgical options.

Mole removal is usually very simple.  The incision can often be covered with a spot Bandaid and suture are usually removed on the face in 5 to 7 days.  With skillful excision the scar almost always look much better than the mole.  It will take a few weeks to as long as a year for the scar to completely heal and look it's best.  Scars on the face may almost completely disappear.  If this is any irregularity, laser can be used to smooth the scar.