has anyone had facial moles removed, if you are prone to keloids?

[alltoomuchrightnow]

Hate two of my facial moles. They are big and ugly...it's not a beauty spot effect that some woman have. One is on jawline, jutting out and forever catching on comb etc.. it gets infected all the time.. plus i have to pluck hairs out of it, gross, if i don't , again more infection, the hairs always get ingrown Other one is in the middle of my cheek and just really ugly. I assume them to be 'safe' as i've been plucking hairs out for about 15 yrs (the cheek one only gets fine hairs). So I heard a doctor could remove facial moles? I get bad keloid scars though that never fade or go down. Has anyone else risked this and what were the results? Or is there anything safe to lighten or remove moles with at home? I don't want moles safely removed, just to end up with thick keloids or there's no point..

Many years ago I finally plucked up the courage to have several moles on my face removed. Best decision ever - I just wish I'd had it done years before.

I've got a couple of faint scars where some of the bigger moles were, but they aren't really noticeable at all, and look a hell of a lot better than the moles themselves did.

My GP didn't do it though. I was referred to a hospital clinic and had the most amazing woman surgeon who actually spent a lot of time thinking aloud about how she would aim the direction of her scalpel so that any faint scars would end up being symmetrical to ageing lines that she predicted I would later develop on my face. Didn't have any lines then, but I do now, and she was so right, bless her.

I wouldn't consider mucking around with them at home. Just get them professionally removed. It doesn't even hurt.

Tamzin...did you get referred to the hospital or was it private. I'm also considering this...

Wasn't private - my GP referred me and it didn't cost me a penny. It was done quickly too.

I work in a gp surgery and asked one of the Doctors if he could remove 2 keloid scars, one on my nose and on my cheek but was told they were too small unfortunatly

Tamzin- did you have to give a reason? Mine doesn't give me any problems, I just hate it. I suppose it is getting slightly bigger over the years (I mean a little bit over say, 20 years) I could go and say I'm worried about it I guess?

Mamma - it was about 15 years ago and I can't remember exactly what I said. I think that I was worried about one mole in particular as it had changed shape, and he just asked me if I'd like to get rid of all of them. I jumped at the chance.

It was done at a day clinic using local anaesthetic. The bits that were cut off were sent away for analysis, which I think is standard procedure, and turned out to be harmless.

My GP at the time was bloody brilliant and was never reticent when it came to making specialist referrals.

Why not go and talk to yours - you've got nothing to lose. Probably a good idea to emphasise the fact that it's got bigger and that you're worried it might be harmful, rather than saying that you want it done for cosmetic reasons.

Thanks tamzin...I will! My gp is pretty good...I think they probably go on the side of caution- especially with miles on the face (exposure to sun and all that).

Thanks for your advice :)

Good luck Mamma - come back and let us know how you got on

yes i'll show them to docs. i' m just worried to replace ugly moles with big fat keloids. they are hard to cover with makeup..