Removing moles using a laser is one of the safest ways to get rid of nevus. The entire procedure is carried out according to a clearly defined algorithm. You can avoid complications and unforeseen consequences if you follow the doctor’s recommendations for the next two weeks.
How does the healing process work?
- 3-4 hours after removal of the mole, the wound is covered with a dark dense crust. And after a few hours, the area around it swells and turns red. This is an absolutely normal reaction of the body. The entire healing process lasts from 14 days to a month.
- First week. The scab that appears at the site of the birthmark is prohibited from being torn off. It has a protective function: to protect the wound from infection and allow new tissue to grow. The wound is protected from mechanical damage, friction with clothing, a bath sponge, and scratching. You should also not use cosmetic creams.
Frequently asked question: can a scar or scar appear at the site of a removed mole? Such a nuisance can happen if the protective scab is torn off from the wound surface. Therefore, doctors strongly recommend protecting the wound from outside interference.
- Second week. After about 7-10 days, the dry crust disappears on its own. Instead, a pale pink skin remains. It should not be exposed to sunlight. If the mole was on the face, then use sunscreen with SPF 50. Otherwise, unwanted pigmentation may occur.
- The next two weeks. Usually, by day 20, the site of the removed mole is overgrown with full healthy skin. A slight itching may occur at the wound site, but special skin care is no longer required after getting rid of the birthmark. A month after the operation, the scar from the birthmark will smooth out, and after 2 months only an inconspicuous microscar will remain.
Keratoma: what is it and why does it appear?
In a normal state, two interrelated processes constantly occur in the human epidermis - the death and exfoliation of the surface layer of cells, and the formation of new layers located under each other. As the upper dead cells of the epidermis fall off as a result of mechanical action on the skin, younger cells located in the layer below are exposed, and so on continuously. At the same time, the number of new forming cells corresponds to the number of dying ones.
Content:
- Keratoma: what is it and why does it appear?
- What is the essence of the laser method for treating skin diseases?
- Indications and contraindications for the procedure
- Preparation and implementation of the laser keratoma removal procedure
- Wound surface care techniques
- Possible complications and consequences of laser intervention
- Advantages of laser surgery over other keratoma treatment methods
If the balance of these natural processes is disturbed, the formation of tumor formations of various types occurs. Thus, a keratoma grows due to a large number of epidermal cells - keratocytes, while the cells themselves do not undergo any changes, that is, the neoplasm is not malignant.
As for the reasons for the appearance of such a malfunction, and, accordingly, the formation of keratomas, medicine cannot yet give an unambiguous answer to the question of what exactly causes or provokes it. It is reliably known that exposure to ultraviolet rays is quite aggressive and even oncogenic for the skin, and, probably, it can be a catalyst for the formation of keratomas. There is even such a variety of this neoplasm - solar keratoma. However, it is obvious that this factor is not the only decisive one. Skin regeneration processes are affected by various diseases, lifestyle, nutrition, and interaction with various toxic and carcinogenic substances throughout life.
Externally, a keratoma may look like a mole or wart; it is colored yellow, brown, gray or brown, and its surface has a characteristic roughness and convexity. Horny keratoma has the shape of an animal horn, it protrudes significantly above the skin, and is gray or brown in color.
Neoplasms can be single or form in groups; they often appear on the face, back, chest, arms, and a little less often on the stomach and lower extremities.
How to care for a wound after mole removal
Sometimes the doctor prescribes treating the scab with disinfectants or ointment with an antimicrobial effect. The most popular care products after mole removal include:
- weak solution of potassium permanganate. It dries out the crust and has an antiseptic effect;
- alcohol solution of brilliant green, or brilliant green. Also a good antiseptic.
Otherwise, routine wound care after mole removal boils down to monitoring the damaged area. Signs of an incorrect healing process will be:
- purulent discharge;
- severe itching, wetness;
- prolonged bleeding;
- increased body temperature;
- noticeable swelling of the skin for several days.
If you notice these symptoms, contact your doctor.
Removal of moles, warts and keratomas in Butovo
And at the same time, any neoplasm on the skin usually causes more or less justified concern. This can be a purely physical inconvenience in cases of either constant compression of the tumor, for example, by folds of clothing, or, what is more dangerous, when the tumor is systematically damaged by cutting objects (when cutting or shaving).
Or it may also be in the form of aesthetic discomfort, as in cases of moles or other tumors located on open parts of the body or in “intimate” places. Naturally, a person has a desire to forever get rid of these neoplasms that interfere with normal life, and only a certified specialist - a dermatologist - can help him with this.
Let's talk about the most serious neoplasms - moles.
The reason for contacting a dermatologist can and should be simply a large number of moles. Not every one of them requires removal for medical reasons, and this kind of intervention will be justified only by the need for aesthetic correction. But some of them are subject to mandatory removal:
- located in areas where clothing or shoes fit tightly to the body;
- injured moles, especially when part of a mole is removed;
- and, especially, those that show signs of malignancy.
These signs include:
- compaction of the mole and increase in its size, including its height above the surface of the skin;
- change in the contour (appearance of uneven edges) and color of the mole (especially darkening and appearance of spots of a different color against the background of the main color);
- the appearance of gloss and bleeding cracks on the surface of the mole;
- disappearance of the skin pattern from the surface of the mole;
- sensation of pain, itching, tingling or numbness of the mole.
What restrictions exist after the procedure?
- In the first three to five days after the procedure, alcohol is excluded from the diet. Alcoholic drinks dilate blood vessels, increasing the likelihood of bleeding.
- For two weeks after laser removal of a birthmark, you should avoid contact with water. It is recommended not to visit the bathhouse, sauna, or swimming pool.
- You will have to protect your skin from sunlight and solarium lamps for a whole month. This will save you from possible hyperpigmentation.
If you follow simple wound care rules after mole removal, recovery will be quick and painless.
Skin care after laser mole removal
A mole is a pigmented formation on the skin that is benign. Often such a nevus can interfere or attract too much attention. Nevus can be congenital or acquired; its color can be brownish, reddish, purple or dark. A mole appears due to an excessive accumulation of pigment cells that are located between the dermis and epidermis. Removal of a mole is often carried out if its shape and size have changed, if the neoplasm is often injured or causes psychological discomfort. One of the most popular methods of mole removal with a short rehabilitation period is the laser method. Caring for a mole after laser removal is simple, the effect is local. Indications for removal:
• Education looks unaesthetic; • The size of education has changed; • There was discomfort in the field of education; • The mole is constantly injured.
How to care for a wound after mole removal
In order for the skin to heal faster, you need to follow the recommendations after removing moles on the face and other parts of the body. After removal, a crust appears at the site of the mole - it cannot be torn off or injured, it peels off on its own in 1-2 weeks. The crust after laser removal of a mole performs a protective function against infection. As recommended by your doctor, you can apply healing ointments and antibiotic creams to the mole removal site. Contact with water should be avoided and the treatment area should not be steamed. If you peel off the crust ahead of time, there is a risk of scarring. After laser removal of a mole, the crust disappears on its own, after which pinkish skin forms in its place. It must be protected from sunlight. It is advisable to use sun protection ointments to avoid hyperpigmentation. How the site of laser mole removal will heal depends on the patient’s compliance with the doctor’s recommendations. In addition, the result is influenced by the quality of the operation. To eliminate a nevus, contact our specialists at the Medial clinic, which has been specializing in such operations for almost 20 years.
Restrictions after mole removal
Before performing the procedure, the doctor examines the nevus using a dermatoscope. Removal using a laser is quick and painless, in about 10-30 minutes, depending on the size of the formation. The restriction after mole removal is to visit the pool, solarium or beach to avoid infection and hyperpigmentation. After laser removal, moles can be treated with antiseptics; after the crust falls off, sunscreen compounds can be used. What not to do after mole removal:
• Sunbathe in a solarium or in the open sun; • Drink alcohol after removing a mole; • Apply cosmetics to an unhealed wound; • Rub the removal site and peel off the crust.
The procedure for removing a nevus has virtually no effect on your usual lifestyle; you do not need to wear a bandage. If all recommendations are followed after laser mole removal, there are usually no scars left. The procedures can be performed at any time of the year, but it is advisable to do this in autumn or winter. After removing a mole, you can go to the pool when the crust falls off and skin appears in its place.
Possible consequences
If the procedure is performed incorrectly, or the recommendations on how to care for the wound after mole removal are not followed, complications may develop. These include incomplete removal of the nevus, infection and scars. Scars can form due to the characteristics of the body, as well as if the scab was torn off prematurely. Removing nevi using a laser is safe. However, there is a risk of incomplete elimination of the new formation, then some of the cells remain in the skin, and the mole appears again. To avoid such consequences, you need to contact only experienced doctors.
FAQ
Many patients are interested in when they can sunbathe after removing a mole with a laser, whether they can play sports after removing a mole, and what restrictions should be observed.
It is important to clarify the specifics of care before surgery to reduce the risk of complications. Can I sunbathe after mole removal? After performing the manipulation, you should not sunbathe for 3-4 weeks. Ignoring this recommendation may lead to the development of hyperpigmentation, the appearance of a white spot at the site of removal. After the scab falls off, the new skin should be protected from the sun using a product with a high SPF level. If you remove the crust ahead of time, a scar may appear that will differ in color. In this regard, it is not recommended to visit the beaches or swim in the pool until the wound is completely healed and the pinkish spot disappears after removing the scab. Can I use cosmetics after the procedure?
Do not use makeup on an area that has been treated with a laser. This can lead to infection and premature scab shedding. The area can only be treated with antiseptics and healing ointments, as recommended by the doctor. You should not wipe the skin of the face or body where the procedure was performed with alcohol, apply scrubs or acids, alkaline compounds, depilatory creams and other care products. This can lead to complications that will then be difficult to eliminate, and the risk of scarring increases.
Can moles be removed during menstruation?
There is no prohibition on removing a mole during menstruation, but it is recommended to postpone this procedure if you are not feeling well. During menstruation, sensitivity increases, and discomfort may occur during exposure. The result after removal is not affected by the period of menstruation. There are also no restrictions on the number of mole removals, since a specialist can give final recommendations at the appointment. If you need to remove a mole on the body in the intimate area, you must first consult with your doctor about the feasibility of this procedure and the urgency of the procedure.
Is it possible to exercise after removing a mole?
In the first 2 weeks after mole removal, it is not recommended to exercise. This is due to the fact that sweat on the crust can cause it to become soggy, increasing the risk of infection or irritation. If this happens, the risk of scar formation will be higher and it will be difficult to get rid of later. For a while, it is recommended to avoid walking in the open sun, visiting a sauna or bathhouse, or taking a hot bath. On the day of the procedure, you should not wet the wound, after which you can wash in the shower with warm water without soaking the crust or rubbing it. Without a doctor's recommendation, adhesive plasters or bandages are usually not used on the wound to prevent it from getting wet and inflamed. If complications arise after removing a nevus, consult a doctor; you cannot treat them yourself.
Indications and contraindications for the procedure
A distinctive feature of keratomas among most skin tumors in humans is that not every tumor requires mandatory medical intervention and removal. Typically, doctors recommend that if a patient has neoplasms of any kind on the body, periodically visiting a dermatologist for preventive purposes, for example, once or twice a year. This measure is enough to prevent the transformation of benign tumors into malignant ones, or, if the process has already begun, to detect it in time.
As for the indications for laser removal of keratomas, the main one among them is keratoma, which is dangerous, that is, it has the likelihood of degenerating into a cancerous tumor. The main symptoms that should alert a person:
- peeling;
- itching;
- pain in the keratome;
- darkening of its surface;
- falling off of the keratoma, leaving a bleeding wound.
In such cases, you should immediately contact a dermatologist or oncologist.
It should be noted that laser removal, along with surgical and radio wave, is the most preferred method of treating malignant keratomas, in contrast to cryodestruction or electrocoagulation, since the latter do not provide adequate efficiency in removing cancer cells.
In addition, laser destruction can also be carried out in cases where the keratoma does not pose any threat to the patient’s health, but at the same time represents an obvious cosmetic defect, that is, removal can be prescribed at the request of the patient.
Contraindications to the procedure may be:
- pregnancy;
- general serious condition of the patient;
- acute infectious or inflammatory processes in the body;
- some psychiatric diseases.
If a person has an acute inflammatory or infectious lesion, it is necessary to first remove the aggravation, after which it will be possible to perform an operation to remove the keratoma.
Pregnant women are traditionally advised to avoid any interference with the body while they are carrying their baby. Of course, if the situation is critical and cannot be delayed, the procedure for removing a tumor with a laser can be prescribed as an exception, however, if possible, it is better to postpone it until the child is born.
