The removal takes minutes. The examination beforehand is the part that actually matters — and it's the part most cosmetic practices skip.
Most moles are benign and can be removed for appearance, comfort, or because they catch on clothing and razors. Removal takes minutes under local anesthetic, with a small scab that resolves over one to two weeks. But laser destroys the tissue. If a lesion were atypical, no diagnosis could be made afterward — so every mole is examined by Dr. Mortazavi first, and anything atypical is referred for excision with pathology rather than lasered.
Moles are melanocytic lesions. They arise from the same cells melanoma arises from.
Laser removal works by destroying tissue. That's the mechanism — it's what makes it quick, low-trauma, and cosmetically clean. It's also what makes the decision to use it consequential.
If a mole was atypical or an early melanoma, that tissue is gone. No pathology can be run. No diagnosis can be made. And the patient walks away believing the problem was handled.
Any practice willing to laser a mole without examining it first — or that doesn't raise when excision with histopathology is the correct approach instead — is skipping the step that matters most.
At Plump, every lesion is examined before anything is done. If it looks benign and removal is reasonable, it's treated. If anything about it is atypical, it isn't lasered — you're referred for excision with pathology.
A diagnosis is worth more than a cosmetic result. That isn't a difficult call.
Any of the following means dermatologic evaluation rather than laser:
That last one is worth dwelling on. Most people's moles share a family resemblance. The one that doesn't look like the others is the one worth showing someone — and it's a more reliable signal than any single feature on the list.
Cherry angiomas are treated differently. They're vascular rather than pigmented — collections of small blood vessels — and are treated with an Nd:YAG vascular laser rather than the approach used for moles.
Raised, flat, brown, red, new, old — the category determines the treatment, and patients frequently arrive describing one thing and presenting another.
Our guide to red spots and skin lesions covers how the common ones are distinguished, and what warrants evaluation.
Most patients heal with little or no visible mark. Some lesions — particularly deeper ones — leave a faint flat mark or slightly lighter area of skin.
Some can partially recur. Laser removes tissue layer by layer, and pigment cells extending below the treated depth can remain. One complimentary touch-up is included for this reason. Recurrence is a normal possibility rather than a failure — though a lesion that returns looking different from the original should be re-examined rather than simply re-treated.
This appointment is removal of a lesion assessed as benign. It is not a full-body skin examination, and it shouldn't be mistaken for one.
If you haven't had a skin check, or you have a personal or family history of skin cancer, see a dermatologist for surveillance. That's a different appointment with a different purpose — and Dr. Mortazavi will say so if that's what you actually need, rather than treating one lesion and letting you leave thinking your skin has been cleared.
The reason I'm direct about this is that the failure mode is silent. Someone has a mole lasered off, it looks fine, they're pleased, and nobody ever finds out whether it mattered. That's a good outcome most of the time and an unrecoverable one occasionally. Looking first costs two minutes.
Is laser mole removal safe?
It is safe for lesions that have been confirmed benign. The risk is not the laser itself — it is treating a lesion that should have been biopsied. Laser destroys the tissue, so if a mole were atypical or an early melanoma, no diagnosis could be made afterward. This is why every lesion at Plump Medical Spa is examined by Dr. Mortazavi before any treatment, and why anything atypical is referred for excision with pathology rather than lasered.
Which moles should not be removed with laser?
Any mole that has changed in size, shape, or color; has an irregular or poorly defined border; contains more than one color; is larger than roughly 6mm; is asymmetric; bleeds, itches, or crusts without injury; appeared newly in adulthood; or looks different from your other moles. Any of these warrants dermatologic evaluation and likely excision with histopathology — not laser.
Does laser mole removal leave a scar?
Laser removal is designed to minimize scarring and most patients heal with little or no visible mark. A small scab forms and resolves over one to two weeks. Some lesions — particularly deeper ones — can leave a faint flat mark or lighter area of skin. This is discussed before treatment rather than after.
Can a mole grow back after laser removal?
Yes, some can. Deeper lesions in particular may partially recur, because laser removes tissue layer by layer and pigment cells extending below the treated depth can remain. One complimentary touch-up is included for this reason. Recurrence is a normal possibility rather than a treatment failure — but a lesion that recurs and looks different from the original should be re-examined rather than simply re-treated.
What can be removed besides moles?
Skin tags, seborrheic keratoses, and other small benign skin growths are commonly treated. Cherry angiomas are vascular rather than pigmented lesions and are treated with an Nd:YAG vascular laser rather than the same approach used for moles.
Is this a skin cancer screening?
No. This appointment is removal of a lesion assessed as benign, not a full-body skin examination. Patients who have not had a skin check, or who have a personal or family history of skin cancer, should see a dermatologist for surveillance. That is a different appointment with a different purpose, and Dr. Mortazavi will say so if that is what a patient actually needs.
Does the procedure hurt?
Local anesthetic is used, so the procedure itself is comfortable. Each lesion takes only a few minutes. There is no downtime and patients return to normal activity immediately, with the scab needing protection from sun exposure while it heals.
Dr. Mortazavi examines every lesion before treating — including telling you when the right answer is a dermatologist rather than a laser.
4667 MacArthur Blvd, Suite 310 — Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 568-7544 — info@plumpmedicalspa.com
Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm — By Appointment Only