The National Skin Centre would be a good place to have your mole assessed (if it is harmful/harmless), and they will also be able to offer you reasonably-priced mole removal. This will be considered cosmetic if the mole is deemed to be harmless, so you will not be able to receive any subsidy. They may also consider doing a punch excision biopsy if they are worried about the mole. With laser removal, they will not be able to assess if the mole is dangerous. Also, with laser removal, there is a chance the mole will reappear again several years later.

I agree with Dr Chua’s take. In fact from what I know, some private clinics do perform mole removal at very competitive prices. But do note (as Dr Chua as stated) that some moles do recur soon after, and may need an additional session for removal. Hope this helps!

Hello AZ Thank you for your question. You should definitely consult a doctor first to get an accurate diagnosis. There are many different types of moles and it is important to make sure the mole is a benign and harmless one before deciding on removal.

Hello Maine Thank you for your question. Post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) or post inflammatory erythema (PIE) from acne is usually treated with q-switched laser or long-pulsed laser. You can expect gradual lightening of the marks with repeated treatments. You can also combine laser treatment with topical retinoids and chemical peels for better results. There shouldn't be any scabbing from treating PIH or PIE. Moles are usually removed with an ablative laser such as the CO2 or erbium laser. Hope this helps!

Thank you for the question. If a mole is suspicious or looks irregular, the doctor will do a biopsy and send the mole for histological testing. During the biopsy, the mole is removed surgically under local anaesthesia and the specimen sent for histology. Based on the histology, it can be determined if the mole is cancerous or benign.

Mole cancer, also known as melanoma, is the most dangerous form of skin cancer as it has a tendency to spread and metastasize. Early detection is the key as early diagnosis of melanoma leads to a much more favourable diagnosis and it is curable if detected early. The signs to look out for in a suspicious mole includes: Asymmetry - the mole is irregular and not symmetrical Border - the border is irregular or the mole is bleeding Colour - the mole has varying shades of colour.

For hyperpigmentation of the facial skin, common causes would be due to freckles, sunspots and melasma. Laser treatment of freckles and sunspots is usually by using pigment lasers such as Q-switched, long-pulsed or picosecond laser using the 532nm or 755nm wavelength. This is usually fairly effective after 1-3 treatments. In Asian patients, as there is more melanin in our skin, there is an increased risk of post laser pigmentation that can occur in almost 20% of patients when treated with the Q-switched or picosecond lasers.

If you are planning to excise the mole using surgical method, then your alternatives are : 1. Plastic Surgeons (facial, body and burns surgeons who specialize on reconstruction and aesthetic surgery) 2. Facial Plastic Surgeons (ENT surgeons who specialize in facial reconstruction and/or aesthetic surgery) 3. Oral-Maxillo-Facial Surgeons (Oral Maxillo Facial dental specialist surgeons who specialize in facial reconstruction and/or aesthetic surgery) These 3 would be your best bets, do call up to check prices first after googling for a suitable surgeon.

Did you remove one or 2 moles? There seems to be 2 scars. One of them seems to be having a regrowth of the mole. You can either wait or try some of the treatments (Fractional CO2 laser, scar cream) suggested. If all else failed, you may even try to excise the scar. It may convert the round scar to a line which is less obvious. There is of course other risks like any procedure. Sit down with your doctor for a better understanding. In the meantime, stay positive and stay happy!

Looking at the position and size of your mole, the best method would be to surgically remove the mole. We would then be able to send it to the lab for histological analysis as well. Given it’s location, it will be virtually scarless after the initial healing phase. The procedure is done as a day surgery one, under local anaesthesia and light sedation (if you wish). It is Medisave claimable.

Hi Mitch! Lasers are great for removing superficial moles that do not go deep into the skin. With junctional naevi, the chance of recurrence is low as long as the mole is completely removed with good technique. If the mole is too deep (compound or dermal naevi), your doctor will likely advise you to excise it as a permanent solution. Laser removal would leave behind some tissue and the risk of recurrence would be higher. That said, please have your moles looked at by a licensed doctor to make sure they are not suspicious before having them removed by a laser!

It is unfortunate that you should scar after the mole removal. Treatment of the resultant scar will depend on the type of scar left after the initial mole removal. Most people who have undergone ablative or burning procedures can be left with a brown or darkened area, known as post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH). This could be due to a few things, including the excessive heat of the procedure, sun exposure in the few weeks preceding and post-procedure, infections of the wound during the healing phase or poor wound care.

Hi, Blue nevus moles belong to a family called melanocytic nevus. They are blue in color cause the pigment containing cells , melanocytes are deep in the dermis, the epidermis is usually normal. Try to refrain from scratching the area as can lead to infection and ulceration. Although recently lasers can treat all forms of moles including blue nevus, surgical excision with marking sutures to ensure margin clearance would be ideal to ensure complete removal and to remove any suspicion of it being anything else.

As moles consist of living cells located in the deeper layers of the skin (dermis), the best method for permanent mole removal remains that of surgery as surgical removal ensures all the mole cells are removed. All the above techniques often result in partial removal of moles hence the likelihood of mole recurrence after treatment is often higher compared to surgery. In my experience and opinion, I would rank CO2 laser superior to electrocautery (which is the same as radio-frequency electrosurgery) followed lastly by cryotherapy.

It is difficult to give you a definite answer on whether such creams are effective because it ultimately depends on what are the ingredients present in the cream. In my opinion, the safest and most effective way to remove moles would be either by surgical or laser mole removal. Surgical mole removal refers to removing the mole by cutting it out under local anaesthetic. Don't worry, it sounds a lot scarier than it really is! First, a quick numbing injection is given and the mole removed surgically and a few stitches are applied to close the wound.