If you have a mole that is questionable and you've had it looked at by your dermatologist, it may have been biopsied. If you had a biopsy and the mole is cancerous, it more than likely needs to be removed. Removing your mole can be scary for you, first and foremost, because you've been told that it is cancerous, but the actual procedure may be giving you anxiety as well. To help you through the process, you should be aware ahead of time of what to expect during this procedure. This is something you should discuss with your dermatologist as well to help put your mind at ease. Read on for information about what you can expect with a mole removal procedure.

You'll Have Local Anesthetic

You'll have a local anesthetic in order to numb the area where the mole will be removed. The anesthetic will be given, and then the dermatologist will ensure the area is numb before cutting out the mole. Be sure to tell your dermatologist if you have any feeling at all so you don't go through this procedure feeling any pain. More anesthetic may need to be given if you do still feel anything.

The Mole Is Shaved Off

The mole is removed very close to your skin, or there may be more of your skin beneath the mole removed to ensure all of the cancerous cells are removed. This is a process, so some of your skin cells will be sent to a lab for testing to ensure all of the cancerous cells are gone. If there are still cancerous cells present, more of your skin will be removed. This process will continue until all of the cancer cells are gone from the area where the mole once was.

Further Testing May Be Necessary

If there was a lot of skin that had to be removed, further testing of your skin cells may be necessary to ensure the skin cancer didn't spread any further. If there was too much that needed to be cut, the procedure may need to be repeated on a different day, or you may also need to have skin grafting done if too much needs to be removed. This is an entirely different procedure that will be done at a later time as well.

If you have a mole that is cancerous, the best thing you can do is to have it removed right away to prevent the cancerous cells from spreading any further. Talk to your dermatologist about what you can expect during this procedure to put your mind at ease. If you have moles that are changing, be sure to have them checked and tested if need be to ensure they are not cancerous moles.

To learn more, contact a resource like MOD Dermatology