Cheap mole removal

January 31, 2005 7:23 PM

Molefilter: the removal of. Looking into removing a harmless (yet unattractive) mole. Cheaply. [MI]

It's been checked out several times, and is not at all cancerous, suspicious, ect. It's just ugly. I don't have any healthcare, and having it removed would be considered cosmetic anyway and therefore wouldn't be covered. I'm looking for any suggestions or advice as to what my options are. Not entirely opposed to "home remedies" or diy suggestions.

(It's on my neck, fyi.)

posted by sarahmelah to health & fitness (20 comments total)

Tell the dermatologist that it has been acting funny and ask if they can take a biopsy large enough to remove it.

Other options: tie thread around it until it falls off.

I have heard that bloodroot creme will make it drop off.

Try all this at your own risk. Wart freezing kit?
posted by mecran01 at 8:19 PM on January 31, 2005

Paying a dermatologist directly to have it removed, with no insurance involved, is probably not as expensive as you think, e.g under $200. It may not be dirt cheap, but, er, that's yer neck that yer talking about.
posted by bingo at 8:25 PM on January 31, 2005

What bingo said. And pre-negotiate the price with the dematologist's office manager. Insurance billing is a significant cost for medical offices, so it's not unreasonable to ask for a cash discount.
posted by nakedcodemonkey at 8:32 PM on January 31, 2005

You could easily enough purchase some liquid nitrogen and perform a freezectomy just like the doctor would. Which is to simply dip a long wooden QTip in it, and then hold that to the mole. Repeat a couple times (it stings!) and within a few days it'll slough off, all the cells in it having been killed.

I'm also thinking a bit of dry ice would work.

Be careful! I am not a doctor, nor do I play with one on television. Self-administered medical procedures are sometimes (often?) Not Very Smart! Don't lose your head over it!
posted by five fresh fish at 8:40 PM on January 31, 2005

Also, I find it hard to believe it would cost more than a twenty-spot. It's an in-office procedure requiring very little in the way of material goods or, based on my experience, skill.

If you're really up for gore, go find a tattoist who also does branding. A snip and a scorch later, and it'll be gone with minimal blood loss (and maximal endorphins, I bet!)
posted by five fresh fish at 8:42 PM on January 31, 2005

Tell the dermatologist that it has been acting funny and ask if they can take a biopsy large enough to remove it.

Actually, this is really good advice. Tell the doc it itches. They'll take it off. Seriously.
posted by mudpuppie at 9:18 PM on January 31, 2005

My mom and aunt (both nurses) have tied off and scalpel-ed off moles on myself and my husband. Do you know any nurses? If they're like my relatives, they'll be happy to do it...

The one I had tied off was on my back. You'd probably need someone else to help you apply the thread correctly (and a band-aid to cover your tied-off neck mole from the public). It pinched just a bit and then I got used to it and one day it dropped off. Fun finding it on the floor...

I even have a picture of it! (I have no shame)
http://www.stef.net/fiendishthingy/entries/mole.jpg

All of this adds up to: it was no big deal and I've suffered no ill effects from this home remedy.
posted by stefnet at 9:19 PM on January 31, 2005

The one caution I would give is that even paying a dermo to have it removed may not permanently remove it. Personally, I've had 3 moles sliced off and come back (on top of a small scar); my younger sister has had a single mole removed 3x and the damn thing keeps coming back.

I know you mentioned you're going low-budget, but my surgeon friend has told me that the only sure fire way to get rid of it and have minimal scarring is have a surgeon (preferably a plastic surgeon) do it. Her opinion is obviously biased, but she was adamant that a dermotologist is *not* a surgeon when mole removal is concerned.
posted by dicaxpuella at 9:28 PM on January 31, 2005

take a biopsy large enough

Sorry, but if money's an issue here, do want them to run tests on it after excision, tests you'd be expected to pay for? I don't know how involved a biopsy is, but if it's more involved than slinging a mole into a medical waste container, I'd bet it's more expensive too.
posted by trondant at 9:35 PM on January 31, 2005

I've had harmless moles removed and the doctors have all insisted on doing biopsies, even though they said they knew they were harmless. I think it's mandatory. Anyway, it doesn't cost much, and if it's on your neck, I would pay for a professional to do it. That's a little close to the jugular.
posted by dness2 at 10:33 PM on January 31, 2005

If it's worth being taken off for other than cosmetic reasons, it's worth being biopsied in most cases. It's impossible to tell a pre- or non-cancerous mole from a cancerous one based on sight alone.
posted by gramcracker at 11:37 PM on January 31, 2005

You should have a dermatologist look at it. They can excise it. You definately want it sent to pathology--you never know what one of these little boogers will show. I doubt *any professional* would remove it without sending it to a pathologist. No nurse in their right mind would remove a mole (I am a R.N.). Any chance you might be getting insurance soon? (New job coming up?). I've never seen a mole frozen off. Ever. Warts, yes. Tying it off--no. You didn't say if it was flat or raised. We are all just guessing. Get medical advice.
posted by 6:1 at 1:09 AM on February 1, 2005

I am also an RN, and i second 6:1's comments.

stefnet.. This is a (though it's the back room) public place, and by discussing what your mom and aunt did, you may be risking their licenses to practice.
posted by reflecked at 3:39 AM on February 1, 2005

Thanks for all of your suggestions guys!

I'm currently covered by an "accident" health insurance through school, but they cover nothing short of a terrible accident. (From what I understand anyway.) I work part time, so no options for real health care anytime soon. Unfortunately.

I'd been told about the string thing (from a doctor actually) so I had been thinking about that...it is raised. Which also would make it easy enough to "lop off", but I hadn't considered the whole major artery thing, and I had heard that they can grow back.

I think I'm convinced that "going pro" would be worth the money and piece of mind...just in case. But how does one go about finding a cheap (well, reasonable) dermatologist? Calling around and looking for a deal? What about a med school or something? (Tufts, Haavad?) I have no problem being a guinea pig.

Thanks again!!
posted by sarahmelah at 3:47 AM on February 1, 2005

I've never seen a mole frozen off. Ever.

Come to think of it, I may have had skin tags frozen off. I'm not entirely sure what the difference would be.
posted by five fresh fish at 9:39 AM on February 1, 2005

I cut a bleeding mole off with a pocket knife (it had gotten caught on something, so it hurt and was bleeding).

Anyway, it wasn't tough, and I'm not a tough guy - I'm a geeky uninsured post-student.
posted by crazy finger at 10:59 AM on February 1, 2005

What's a RN?
posted by madman at 11:47 AM on February 1, 2005

Registered Nurse.

As opposed to those renegade packs of prowling unregistered nurses lurking in the shrubberies outside the hospital doors.
posted by five fresh fish at 12:37 PM on February 1, 2005

I was actually going to ask the exact same question. But it's bright red and on my nose. Is there any special considerations for one that is right in the center of your face? It sucks because everyone thinks it's just a "pimple gone wrong."
posted by Napierzaza at 2:36 PM on February 1, 2005

Whatever you do, get a REAL dermatologist to remove it, not some GP.

I had a suspicious mole removed by a specialist who just injected some local anesthetic under the mole, so it popped up and was easily snipped off before a bandaid was applied. Result: teeny, round scar that faded well. The mole was tested and found to be benign.

I had a second suspicious mole a few years later, but the university doctor who looked at it wouldn't refer me to a dermatologist because he said he could easily handle it. (I think the guy was just bored.) The tiny city I was living in was a closed shop -- not a single dermatologist would take me without a referral.

The GP used a scalpel and cut out a fair bit of flesh around the mole as well, then stitched me up. He said this was necessary in case the mole was malignant. Result: yet another benign mole, and a huge, obvious raised scar on the top of one breast. It's taken 15 years to fade and flatten, but I didn't wear anything low cut for years because of that overconfident oaf.
posted by maudlin at 10:33 PM on February 1, 2005