Moles, skin tags, warts and spots are incredibly common no matter one’s age, gender or ethnicity. And while they should always be analyzed by your general practitioner to ensure they are safe and noncancerous, benign spots can often appear in displeasing locations that lead a patient to want to have them removed regardless. Moles, spots and marks can range in area, colour, texture, as well as depth. Fortunately, at Toronto’s Elements mediSpa, we provide a variety of ways to remove them that best suit different cases and types of lesions. Below are the services we provide for removing warts, moles and other unsightly spots!

Surgical Removal

Moles can be surgically removed easily and painlessly with local anesthesia via excision. Once the anesthesia is activated, Dr. Adibfar begins by making markings around the mole and then by carefully cutting around the mole and through the dermis to remove the lesion. Because moles grow from under the skin, the base of the mole is removed as well to ensure no chance of regrowth. Once removed the incision is stitched to close the skin’s gap. The way the skin is stitched is also important to alleviate any tension on the wound which allows for minimal scarring. 

Electrocautery

After careful evaluation from their practitioners, many patients seek electrocautery to have their spots removed. Moles are rarely ever addressed with electrocautery as they should be removed via excision, however cases of seborrheic keratosis, age spots, freckles and some warts may be removed with electrocautery. The procedure involves using a probe like pen that uses high-frequency current across the surface of the skin to remove undesired tissue. The warm tip of the probe comes into contact with the skin but does not go through into the body. The current also seals the treated area to prevent any infection. 

Cryotherapy

Cryotherapy essentially involves freezing the wart with liquid nitrogen for easy removal. This treatment is also commonly used for the removal of plantar warts. A topical numbing cream is first spread over the wart and surrounding area. Liquid nitrogen is then applied to the wart causing it to freeze at approximately -196 degrees Celsius and turn a frosted white colour. Over the next several days the wart may turn into a blood blister before forming a crust that will eventually fall off. Patients are advised to keep a bandaid over the lesion until the skin fully heals. This procedure is painless, fast and very straightforward.

Laser

Using lasers has become increasingly popular and convenient for mole removal for cosmetic reasons. The laser works best on surface moles rather than moles that extend deep into the skin. The treatment begins with a local anesthetic before Dr. Adibfar applies the laser precisely to the targeted area. The laser darkens the area which is then gently wiped with a wet cloth to remove the pigmentation and mole. Once the mole is removed, Dr. Adibfar applies ointment and dressings to ensure the skin heals quickly. Over the next few days a light scab will form over the area which will naturally fall off leaving a light pink mark which will remain for approximately 2 weeks. The procedure is painless and leaves little to no chance of scarring.

Depending on the procedure, as well as type of mole, spot and/or wart, the treatment can take as little as 5-10 minutes to complete and with minimal downtime. Patients are also advised to diligently follow Dr. Adibfar’s aftercare instructions to ensure less chance of scarring. It is important that all lesions are carefully examined before undertaking any removal procedure. Patients should never administer at home removal methods (such as creams) without first consulting with their doctor or practitioner. 

Click here to learn more about Elements Spa’s various mole and spot removal treatments or to book a consultation with one of Toronto’s best board-certified cosmetic plastic surgeons, Dr. Adibfar.