Bump Zapper

None — Moles

Moles are common, small dark spots on the skin. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, adults have an average of 10 to 40 moles on their bodies. However, some people develop hundreds of them. People with light skin tend to have more moles than those with darker skin.

There are three main types of moles. A congenital mole is one which is present at birth. About one percent of babies are born with a congenital mole. An acquired mole appears some time after birth. They are usually benign. More dangerous mole are dysplastic nevi, atypical moles that tend to grow much larger than acquired moles and often have an irregular shape or coloring. These moles have a greater risk of becoming a melanoma.

Sebaceous Hyperplasia

Sebaceous hyperplasia is a condition affecting the oil-producing glands in the skin. The affected glands enlarge, giving the appearance of small, whitish yellow or skin-colored bumps on the skin. They most often appear on the nose, cheeks and forehead and are sometimes mistaken for acne or clogged pores.

Researchers estimate about one percent of healthy Americans have sebaceous hyperplasia. Risk is higher in patients taking certain immune-suppressing drugs. The lesions most commonly start to appear after 50.

Eliminating Skin Bumps

Unwanted moles, sebaceous hyperplasia and other skin bumps can usually be removed. However, if there is any concern the lesion may be skin cancer, doctors will take a biopsy first to confirm whether the area is benign or malignant.

Traditionally, there are several ways to remove unwanted "bumps" on the skin. In surgical excision, the area is cut out with a scalpel and, if necessary, closed with stitches. A small blade may be used to shave the bump. An electric needle can be used to cauterize, or burn away, the lesion. Some physicians use a CO2 laser to ablate the tissue.

Bill Halmi, M.D., Dermatologist with Arizona Advanced Dermatology in Scottsdale, AZ, says while traditional methods can be effective, they all produce pain and generally require some type of local anesthesia. The numbing distorts the skin, making it harder for doctors to precisely remove the lesion. Shaving and electrocautery can leave pock marks in the skin. And research suggests the CO2 laser can cause scarring and may not remove all the targeted tissue.

Zapping Away Skin Bumps

Another option for removing "skin bumps" is an erbium laser. Halmi says the laser was originally introduced for laser facial resurfacing, but fell out of favor when better lasers were developed for that purpose. However, he says it works well for removing small areas of skin, like unwanted moles or sebaceous hyperplasia.

Unlike some other treatments, the erbium laser treatment isn't painful, so no anesthesia is needed during treatment. It is a very precise laser, enabling a physician to remove a layer of skin at a time. Thus, there is less risk of removing too much underlying and surrounding healthy skin. There is also little risk of scarring because so little tissue is removed.

After an erbium laser treatment, patients need to keep the area moist with a topical product, like petroleum jelly. The wound heals in about five to six days, but may remain pink for a few weeks. In some cases, the healed area may retain a bit of the pink coloring or may be slightly whiter than the surrounding tissue.

Halmi charges about $150 to remove one mole and $250 for up to three. He says patients can have many moles or bumps removed, but he prefers to do the treatments over time to ensure the areas heal properly.

Halmi says the erbium laser can only be used on benign skin lesions. If there is any chance the area could be cancerous, a biopsy is done. If the biopsy is positive, the patient is directed to other treatments for skin cancer. Halmi also says it is very rare for a mole to reappear. So if a mole that has been removed comes back, it should be biopsied.

For general information on skin conditions: American Academy of Dermatology

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