Removal of benign and malignant lesions

Moles can be considered beauty marks (think Marilyn Monroe), be cosmetically objectionable, or in the worst case be a risk for skin cancer. There are several options when considering mole removal. Dr. Washburn will discuss your goals with you, always keeping your health at the forefront of the plan. For a mole with a benign appearance, shave removal may be an option realizing that the mole may recur about 20% of the time. For moles with a suspicious appearance or in the case of wanting assurance that the mole will not recur, surgical excision with suturing is the best approach. Each mole needs to be evaluated before a treatment plan is determined.

For small basal and squamous cell skin cancers and thin melanomas, removal in our office is often appropriate. If a biopsy shows a larger or more aggressive cancer we will refer you to one of the areas top skin cancer surgeons and/or oncologists for specialized cancer care.

For more information visit www.aad.org or www.asds-net.org.