Shave excision mole coming back? (photos)

Question

2 weeks ago I had a shave excision done to remove a mole on my nose. After the scab fell off, the scar turned from red to pink to now a darker brown. I haven't been outside for more than 5 minutes at a time and when I do I always put sun screen on. Is this darkening a part of the normal healing process that will fade with time or is it a sign that it is coming back? If so is there anything I can do to get rid of it i.e. glycolic acid peels/copper peptide or skin lightening creams?

Jeffrey D. Wagner, MD · Answer

The nevus has been incompletely removed and will almost certainly regrow to some extent after healing.  I recommend that any nevus that is suspicious enough to be biopsied be removed completely and sent for pathology, if it is feasible to do so without a reconstructive procedure.

Lisa Zaleski-Larsen, DO, FAAD · Answer

Thank you for your question.  A simple shave (cutting off the top of the mole) does not remove the mole completely.  Moles are like in iceberg where you only see the tip of the iceberg on the surface of the skin.  Cutting off the top can help with the elevation but there will still be a mole underneath.  Your dermatologist should have sent the shaved mole for a pathology review to ensure it is normal.  As long as the pathology report says the mole is normal it is common for moles to repigment within a scar.  If the pigment ever goes beyond the borders of the scar or changes over time I would recommend seeing your dermatologist again for re-examination.

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Shave excision mole coming back? (photos)

Answers (2)

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