Anyone had a dodgy mole removed?

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I sent my GP a photo of a mole I was a bit concerned about, he wasn't too sure so said he'd ask dermatology to look at it. I called last week and the receptionist said they'd heard back and the Dr will call. He didn't. I called again today and the receptionist said it needs removing but they are waiting for funding for the procedure....?! Anyway, I will give them a few more days to get back to me and then will ask the Dr what's going on because I don't know if they're removing because it looks worrying, or just In case or what. Anyway just looking for other people's circumstances, is it a simple procedure, should I be nervous?!

It's very simple

I had a mole that had grown. GP said she was 99% sure from other aspects of its appearance that it wouldn't be malignant, but it should be excised and tested to be on the safe side

Procedure was very simple, injection of local then it was cut away with a scalpel, and dressed (didn't need stitching). I can't remember if there was any particular aftercare advice (faint recollection of keeping it dry for first 24-48 hours but I'm not sure).

It was benign - can't remember how long it took to hear, but it was within the target because I'm sure I'd have remembered if I'd been fretting because I hadn't.

I think (but don't actually know, again based on my recollection, and it was a while ago so protocols might have changed) that they don't take much but the mole itself for testing. If t's worrying, then they might need to go in again to take more surrounding tissue

Really simple. The local anaesthetic stings like hell. You feel a little bit of pressure, but no pain, when they cut it off. Sutures get removed after a week - only a couple of them. They send a sample to the lab to check & you get a letter or call from the dr to say if it’s clear or if there are any issues with it.

Ours usually wouldn’t send a pic to dermatology, they would just remove it and send it to the lab, but our minor ops Dr has just retired so no clue what they would do now.

Ooh very different procedures. To pp.

I know the hospital do a punch biopsy these days but my dr removed the whole thing. DH has skin cancer cut off pretty much every year and the hospital do punch biopsy on these before removing but they do always put a suture in.

Thank you both, both procedures sound fairly straight forward, it was the testing I was particularly interested in, I was hoping I'd get piece of mind as to whether it was anything more. I just hope it doesn't take too long to get the appointment, seems odd they're waiting for funding, sounds quite routine?!

I’ve just had surgery under local. I highly recommend taking a stress ball to squeeze as the local goes in!
It’s generally very straightforward, done under local anaesthetic. They have to take a “margin”, beyond the borders of the mole to make sure they’ve got it all so it might seem bigger than expected but it usually heals well.

Yes I had one removed from my shoulder blade as it had grown and changed, local anaesthetic didn't hurt and then it was cut off and the remaining hole was actually burnt shut with a little laser type tool, no stitches or sutures just a plaster which I had to change after 24 hours.
Biopsy came back normal.

I've had three moles removed. One was shaved off. The other two were cut deep to remove all of the mole and extra skin around the moles to ensure no dodgy cells. One that was removed had displastic neavous cells (probably spelt wrong!) so had to go back to have more skin removed to ensure all dodgy cells were removed.

I then had another mole removed but that came back clear. I had stitches for quite a while and had to have them removed by a nurse at the doctors.

As pp have said, the anaesthetic is quite painful but once it's done you won't feel a thing. I found having the stitches and dressing quite uncomfortable as it was on my back right where my bra strap sits!

Hope all goes ok for you

It’s a routine procedure but GP surgeries get paid for certain things. A lot won’t do minor ops because they are using their time, equipment etc but not getting paid for the actual procedure.

Thanks all, yes I think mine sits under bra strap, at least I'm working from home although I suppose I should wear a bra for school run 😬

@acupofteamakeseverythingbetter did your mole look more problematic than your normal ones? I don't think mine looks terribly unusual, it's just got some slight speckling so I got it checked out for having two colours but it looks relatively round.

@Youdontknowwhatyoureonabout thank you, that makes sense!

I had one on my leg removed. It had appeared out of the blue and looked different to my other moles/had lots of different colours. I got mine done through private health insurance. Dermatologist was pretty confident all would be fine but said it should be removed just in case.

Procedure was fine, I don't remember the local being more than a scratch, and the punch biopsy itself was painless. I drove myself home afterwards, results came back clear about 2 weeks later. Healing wise, it was very bruised and a bit sore the next day, but not terribly so, just when toddler DS grabbed my leg and caught it, really.

Mine was changing its appearance, and I think it worried the dermatologist. He was preparing me for bad news, but it came back benign. I had a couple of stitches. I was surprised by how much it hurt afterwards. Mine was on my shoulder blade, and I couldn't lift anything with that arm for about a week.

I had a mole that changed a lot over a short period of time (a couple of months).
The practice nurse, GP and dermatologist all said it looked fine but removed it for my 'peace of mind'.

They injected it in a few places to numb in and and it was pretty simple. I did feel a little faint so they had me lie down.

I got the results within a week and it was a stage 1 malignant melanoma.

I was referred to a skin cancer clinic where they removed more tissue from around the area and thankfully it hadn't spread anywhere.

The removal itself isn't a big deal at all and they're very thorough.

I had one removed from my face (jawline) that was evolving & getting a ragged edge. The procedure was fine - I had it done by the plastic surgeon as it was on my face - local anaesthetic and then cauterised afterwards - it was benign.

I remember I felt well enough to go for a pub lunch after the procedure!

Yes, the edges were uneven and it had grown in size and was quite dark but was flat to the surface and not raised at all. It was different to my other moles. Better to be safe than sorry with these things. I have two scars on my back from the removals. One 2 inches long! But I'd much rather have a scar than a potential worse outcome.

I have also been and had my photographs take of my whole body so I can keep an eye on other moles but you could do this yourself to have pictures to look back on if you're concerned one of them has changed

I had a breast lump a while back, and when they were taking the biopsy they decided to remove a mole on my chest. It was tiny and they did it under local by freezing it off. It stung for a few days and the area felt weirdly 'tight' for a while.
I have a few they are keeping an eye on, but the one they wanted to take off just looked like a freckle to me.

@IdrisElbow thank goodness yours was stage 1!

I've had a year off appointments as well which has been reassuring and I've had another mole removed which was benign.

Thankfully they're pretty sure that I'm unlikely to have any more skin cancers 🤞

I had an infiltrative bcc removed from just above my eyebrow by my GP last year. The local stung but I didn’t feel a thing during the procedure. GP took a large chunk off and I had 6 stitches. Had lots of swelling and a black eye but it healed very quickly. Just yearly follow ups. I’ve had to used the chemo cream on other lesions. I’d rather have the surgery any day than the cream, which made me feel awful and you have to use for a month.

Thanks all for the info, glad you were all ok. I just hope I'm referred quickly, will be pleased to get it removed.

@Zoorhik my grandmother had that cream, I remember being told off by my mum when I said really blasé about it "only being a cream" and she very firmly corrected me that it's not as simple as that and isn't very nice!!

Yes I had a couple removed from my face. The worst bit was the local anaesthetic which did sting but after that was it was no bother at all. They were both benign.

I had another lesion that I used cream for about 3 years ago.

I would chase your appointment up though because there shouldn’t be a problem with funding unless they see it as cosmetic, which I doubt. Ask your GP whether they’ve referred you to dermatology and then ring up the dermatology dept and speak to the secretary. They can often get you in on a cancellation. Don’t worry, the dermatologists know what they’re doing and all my friends have had lesions removed successfully.

Yes I had one removed under a local on my face, they sent it off for analysis and reported back all fine. Took around 3 weeks

I see a podiatrist every 3 months and he noticed a new mole on one of my toes so he contacted my gp who referred me to a dermatologist who decided to remove it just in case but it was benign. I had a local anaesthetic and had a couple of stitches.

The podiatrist who noticed took before and after pictures for the rest of the podiatrist team so they would know what to look for in suspicious moles.

I had one removed from my lip, I didn’t even know they appeared there. Just a little local. Absolutely zero scarring and no issue.