Mole & Skin Lesion Removal in Brisbane

Surgical mole and skin lesion removal

Mole and skin lesion removal is the surgical excision of a mole, cyst or other skin lesion, with the tissue sent to pathology for examination. Dr Goutham Sivasuthan, a Brisbane general surgeon, removes moles and skin lesions under local anaesthetic as a day procedure — so you are awake, comfortable and home the same day.

People ask for a mole or lesion to be removed for three main reasons: a spot has changed or looks suspicious, a lump is catching, bleeding or irritated, or a lesion is simply bothersome cosmetically. Whatever the reason, surgical removal lets the whole lesion be examined under a microscope — the only way to be certain a mole is not an early skin cancer.

If a lesion is already known or strongly suspected to be a skin cancer, you may be better directed to skin cancer surgery (for basal and squamous cell carcinoma) or melanoma surgery. This page is about assessing and removing moles, cysts and skin lesions where the diagnosis is not yet confirmed.

When should a mole or skin lesion be removed?

A mole should be checked and considered for removal when it changes, and the simplest guide is the ABCDE rule. See your GP, a skin-cancer doctor or Dr Goutham promptly if a spot shows any of the following:

• Asymmetry — one half does not match the other.
• Border — edges that are ragged, blurred or irregular.
• Colour — more than one colour, or uneven colour.
• Diameter — larger than about 6 mm (a pencil eraser), though smaller spots can still matter.
• Evolving — any change in size, shape, colour, or a spot that itches, bleeds or will not heal.

Beyond suspicious change, removal is also reasonable for a mole or lesion that is repeatedly caught by clothing, razors or jewellery, one that is inflamed or painful, or a longstanding lump you would simply prefer gone. Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world, so a new or changing spot in an adult is always worth assessing rather than watching.

Moles, cysts and skin lesions we remove

Dr Goutham removes a wide range of skin and superficial soft-tissue lesions. Common examples include:

Fatty lumps under the skin are a little different — these are usually lipomas, which have their own dedicated page. If you are not sure what your lump is, that is exactly what an assessment is for.

What does mole removal surgery involve?

Most moles and skin lesions are removed by excision under local anaesthetic in a treatment room or day-surgery setting. The area is numbed with a small injection, so the procedure itself is painless — you may feel light pressure but no sharp pain.

Dr Goutham chooses the technique that gives the safest result and the tidiest scar:

• Excision biopsy — the lesion is removed in a small ellipse of skin with a clear margin, then the wound is closed with sutures. This is the standard for any mole that could be a skin cancer, because it removes the whole lesion intact for pathology.
• Shave excision — suitable for some raised, clearly benign lesions, removing the lesion flush with the skin.

The whole appointment usually takes 20–45 minutes depending on the size and number of lesions. Larger or facial lesions, or lesions needing careful reconstruction, may be planned for a day-surgery list. You go home the same day with simple wound-care instructions.

Why every lesion is sent to pathology

Every mole or lesion Dr Goutham removes is sent to a pathology laboratory for examination — this is the single most important reason to choose surgical excision. Looking at a spot, even with a dermatoscope, can raise or lower suspicion, but only the microscope gives a definite diagnosis.

Pathology confirms whether a lesion is completely benign, or whether it is an early skin cancer such as a basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma. It also confirms whether the lesion was removed with clear margins. If pathology shows a skin cancer, Dr Goutham will talk you through the result and the next step — usually a wider skin cancer excision, or for melanoma a planned wide local excision. Catching a skin cancer at the mole stage often means simpler, smaller surgery.

Surgical removal vs cosmetic laser mole removal

Surgical excision is not the same as cosmetic laser or shave-only mole removal offered by some beauty and laser clinics. The crucial difference is pathology: laser destroys the lesion, leaving nothing to examine, so a skin cancer can be missed. Surgical excision removes the lesion intact and sends it for testing.

For any mole that is pigmented, changing or that you have not had checked, an intact surgical excision with pathology is the safer choice — and it is the standard of care recommended in Australia. A neat surgical scar is a small price for the certainty that nothing has been overlooked.

Recovery and scar care

Recovery from mole and skin lesion removal is usually quick and straightforward. Most people return to normal activity the same or next day, with only mild tenderness at the site for a few days.

• Keep the wound clean and dry as advised — usually for the first 48 hours.
• Sutures are typically removed at 7–14 days, depending on the site (face heals fastest, back and limbs take longer).
• Avoid heavy lifting or vigorous exercise that stretches the wound while it heals.
• Protect the healing scar from the sun and follow our written post-operative care guidance.

Every surgical removal leaves a scar, but Dr Goutham plans the incision to follow natural skin lines and minimise its appearance. Your pathology result is usually available within about a week, and we will contact you to discuss it.

Mole & skin lesion removal FAQs

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