MOLE REMOVAL
MOLE AND BENIGN SKIN LESION REMOVAL
First of all, we want for you to know what a moles and benign skin lesions (BSL) are. They are basically an overgrowth of cells on the skin; these cells produce an excess of different types of collagens and also pigment.
On the skin we also have hair follicles and small blood vessels called capillaries which can grow with the moles and benign skin lesions. This is why benign skin lesions come in different shapes, sizes and colours, with or without hair.
THE GROWTH OF MOLES AND BENIGN SKIN LESIONS
The cause for the overgrowth is multifactorial, it can be genetic, hormonal, UV exposure and ageing.
The genetic example can be a location of a mole that runs in the family or when you are already born with them.
The hormonal cause can be seen in puberty or pregnancy when BSL tend to grow. UV exposure like sun or tanning beds will stimulate the skin to protect itself by producing more pigment which can deposit in the moles and not fade away.
The normal process of ageing on itself will cause a gradual growth by an accumulative effect of depositing collagen in the BSL.
THE IMPACT ON OUR HEALTH
Moles and benign skin lesions will not cause any harm to our health, they just have an odd appearance that we may not like or people might notice if they are in a particular area of our face or body, which can impact on our self-esteem.
The most important issue, is that any skin lesion must be checked by a DOCTOR previous to a removal, so we can be clinically certain it is benign in nature and not a cancerous lesion which would need NHS treatment.
Who can check your mole or skin lesion? It must be a DOCTOR, a doctor has a qualification from a university degree in medicine, specialised training and years of experience to recognise the difference between benign and risk of malignancy.
REMOVAL OF BENIGN SKIN LESIONS AND MOLES
Only benign skin lesions and moles are safe to be removed. The removal methods have advanced over the years, in the past the only method was surgical (cutting it off) that meant a large scar. Cryotherapy (freezing it) can remove small and pedunculated lesions but extremely unlikely to remove a flat and pigmented lesion. Electrosurgery is efficient at removing skin lesions but also has a higher risk of scarring.
Laser methods, there are many types of lasers, some lasers like IPL and YAG laser can remove only the coloration by breaking down the pigment. While Erbium and CO2 laser can remove the structure by vaporising the lesion. Laser are more comfortable and offer better results and less risk of scarring than the traditional methods described.
The selection of the ideal laser treatment will depend on the clinical assessment of each individual patient by Dr Zafra who is an expert in this field. At Zafra Medical we have multiple lasers and treatment options, so don’t worry we will surely be able to help you.
Other skin lesions we are able to treat are:
Seborrheic Keratoses: Raised, waxy, or wart-like growths that are often brown or black.
Cherry Angiomas: Small, red or purple spots, usually appearing on the torso.
Milia: tiny white or yellowish cysts that form when dead skin cells and keratin get trapped under the skin's surface, appearing as small bumps
Dermatofibromas: Firm, small, red-brown bumps, often found on the legs after traumatic injuries like thorn wound or hair plucking.
Stucco Keratosis: Small, dry, white-grey papules found on feet or ankles.
Xanthelasma: Yellow-orange, cholesterol-rich, flat patches or papules on the eyelids.
Common Non-Benign or Other Specific Lesions
Actinic Keratosis: Rough, scaly, precancerous patches caused by sun damage.
Warts: Benign growths caused by viral infection.
Skin Tags (Acrochordons): Small, soft, skin-coloured, or pedunculated growths commonly found on the neck, axilla, and groin, also caused by a viral infection.
THE PROCESS OF REMOVAL OF MOLES AND BENIGN KIN LESIONS WITH LASER AT ZAFRA MEDICAL
First you will need to attend a face to face medical consultation with Dr Zafra, who will clinically assess your skin lesion and explain the possibilities of treatment. Virtual consultations are also an option, however this will limit the ability to assess the skin therefore it would be for information purposes only and a second face to face consultation might be required, so we highly recommend attending in person, as only the FIRST consultation is FREE and a second consultation without treatment would be charged at normal price of £249 for up to 30 minutes.
LASER TREATMENT
After the first consultation, if the treatment is viable you will be booked in for treatment. On the treatment day, you will go over any details or questions you might still have of the treatment and aftercare. You will sign a consent form and then proceed with the laser treatment. Before the removal of the BSL with laser, a tiny amount of local anaesthetic (lidocaine) will be injected on the base of the BSL and after a couple of minutes it can be removed by laser. The overall treatment process with laser can take just a few minutes per BSL and be relatively painless.
INVESTMENT
If you're interested to explore how Removal of Moles/Lipoma and Cysts might work for you, book a free consultation via the link below:
AFTERCARE
You will have a small plaster which you will remove the following day and normal wound care aftercare will be explained. We recommend you keep the area clean and dry. You can shower normally patting it dry and being careful not to knock off the scab. The scab will be there for one to two weeks on the face and three to four weeks on the body. When the scab falls off you will have a red mark which occasionally can be indented, don’t worry it’s part of the process and your skin will fill it up and the coloration will gradually fade into your skin tone in the following weeks. It is when the scab falls off when its crucial to apply sunscreen SPF 50 on areas exposed to direct or indirect sunlight.
REVIEW APPOINTMENT
On the day of the treatment you will be booked in for review which is one to two months later and you can always book in earlier if you have any concerns. The review appointment is to confirm you are happy with the treatment. On rare occasion the pigment can persist or the skin can over heal, don’t worry Dr Zafra will go over the area and it will heal nicely as our results have proven over the years, any review is free.
RISKS
Fortunately, with laser treatments, these offer the minimal risks compared to other methods. An injection or removal of any layer of the skin has a risk or infection, however at Zafra Medical we have never had an infection, so you can rest assured. The risk of scarring is always a possibility; however, Dr Zafra’s technique and experience has proven amazing results of no scarring over the years. If there is any scar, the mark will usually smaller and flat, so compared to the BSL in the balance it will usually be better, all this will be explained in detail in the FREE FIRST consultation.
PATIENT’S BEFORE AND AFTER AT ZAFRA MEDICAL
Below you will find a wonderful example of Dr Zafra’s expertise removing multiple moles for a patient’s face in 2017. An image is worth a thousand words, the before and after pictures clearly speak for themselves. You will note we had the pleasure to see the patient again in 2026 so you can see the results impressive and withstand the pass of time, with happy patients always returning to us for all their skin concerns and goals.
All images used are for illustrative purposes only.
The above prices are only a guide, these may vary according to individual requirements and payment is due the day of the treatment or when a plan of treatments is agreed. Any procedure will only take place after a medical consultation, in which you will be asked to respond truthfully a record of your medical history and on the day of each procedure you will be asked to read and sign a consent form accordingly. Results and longevity varies from each individual, dependent on factors that not solely include age, genetics, skin type, medical history and lifestyle.