Mole and Skin Tag Removal in South Loop Chicago

Q: Does mole or skin tag removal hurt?

We numb the area with local anesthetic before shave, snip, or excision-based removal, so most people feel pressure or movement rather than sharp cutting. Freezing can cause a brief stinging during the procedure and some tenderness, blistering, or scabbing as the area heals. Your provider reviews what to expect for your specific spot beforehand.

Q: Will removal leave a scar or come back?

A mark or scar will occur with any skin procedure. A personal or family history of keloids raises the chance of a raised scar. Prior pigment change after healing raises the chance of dark or light marks. Slow healing is a separate risk shaped by the wound's size, depth, location, and your health. A growth can also return if some cells remain.

Q: Do you test what you remove?

It depends on the growth. Tissue from any suspicious, atypical, changing, recurrent, or uncertain growth is always preserved and sent for review. Mole tissue removed by shave or excision goes to the lab in most cases. A classic skin tag may not need lab testing when the diagnosis is clear. We explain whether your sample goes to pathology and reach out once we have reviewed any report.

A mole or skin tag often needs nothing more than reassurance. When removal makes sense, it starts with an evaluation at our South Loop practice, so the right spots are handled the right way.

Physician-directed care, part of the Northwestern Medicine Physician Network.

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Or call (847) 802-9667 Mon 8:30am–1:30pmTue–Fri 8:30am–6pm. Online booking available 24/7.

APPOINTMENT: In-office; length confirmed at booking
MOST OFTEN USED FOR: Evaluation first; biopsy or removal when indicated
DOWNTIME: Often minimal; longer after excisions
HEALING: Often 1 to 2 weeks; deeper sites take longer
PATHOLOGY: Removed moles generally sent to lab; anything uncertain always reviewed
PAYMENT: Insurance if medical; cosmetic removal self-pay

Understanding Mole and Skin Tag Removal

Most spots on your skin are harmless. Moles, also called nevi, are common growths made of pigment-producing cells. Skin tags, or acrochordons, are soft, benign growths.

Skin tags often form where skin rubs against skin, jewelry, or clothing. Common sites include the neck, underarms, and eyelids.

Removal is a decision we make after examining the spot, never before. A growth that is changing or concerning is evaluated first, and the next step depends on that exam.

Anything suspicious is biopsied or excised in a way that preserves tissue for pathology. We do not treat a suspicious or uncertain pigmented spot destructively. Cosmetic removal happens only after a growth has been examined and judged clinically benign.

Why It May Be Recommended

A mole that is new, changing, itching, bleeding, or painful, which needs prompt evaluation; biopsy may be recommended based on the exam
A spot that looks different from your other moles, or shows an ABCDE warning sign
A skin tag that catches on clothing or jewelry, bleeds, or becomes irritated
A skin tag near the eye that affects your eyesight
A growth that is repeatedly traumatized or inflamed
A benign mole or skin tag you would like removed for appearance. Never cut, burn, freeze, tie off, or apply a home removal product yourself. These approaches can injure the skin and delay diagnosis of a growth that is not benign.

What Happens During Removal

Before: Your provider examines the growth, reviews your history and goals, and explains the approach that fits your diagnosis. When needed, we numb the area with local anesthetic before removal.

During: A mole or skin tag judged clinically benign is removed by hyfrecation (a light electrical current) or excision, depending on its depth, location, and the expected scar. We always discuss the options and the procedure with you before removal. In some cases, stitches are needed.

A mole with features that need a closer look is handled differently. We choose a biopsy method that preserves enough tissue for diagnosis and, when melanoma is a concern, accurate depth assessment. We do not use destructive treatment when the diagnosis is uncertain.

No biopsy technique guarantees a definitive answer on the first pass. Further sampling or a complete excision is sometimes recommended after the pathology report.

After: Tissue from any suspicious, atypical, changing, recurrent, or uncertain growth is preserved and sent for examination under a microscope. Mole tissue removed by shave or excision goes to the lab in most cases. A classic skin tag may not need lab testing when the diagnosis is clear.

We tell you whether your tissue was submitted. We also tell you whether the report calls for more sampling, monitoring, or no further treatment.

You go home with wound-care instructions. If a follow-up visit is needed, we see you back to check how the site is healing. Pathology results are reviewed as soon as they arrive.

Contact us if bleeding continues after 20 minutes of firm, steady pressure. Also call for worsening pain, spreading redness, swelling, warmth, drainage, fever, or a wound that reopens. Seek urgent care for heavy bleeding you cannot control or signs of a severe allergic reaction.

Recovery & Safety

Aftercare starts with the wound-care instructions we give you for your specific procedure. Unless we direct otherwise, gently clean the site with mild soap and water, apply plain petroleum jelly, and keep it covered while it heals.

We advise against over-the-counter antibiotic ointment unless your provider instructs otherwise, since it can cause skin reactions.

Once the wound has closed, protect the area from the sun with clothing, shade, and broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher. Sun exposure can make discoloration and scar contrast more persistent.

Healing varies by person, by the size, depth, and location of the spot, and by the method used. Many small surface wounds heal within about 1 to 2 weeks. Larger or deeper excisions and some locations, especially the lower legs, can take longer.

Any removal will leave a mark, and some growths can come back. Other possible risks include:

Bleeding, infection, or tenderness
Delayed healing
Pigment change, either darkening or lightening
Irritation or allergy from the adhesive, antiseptic, anesthetic, or ointment used along the way

Individual results and duration of results may vary. Outcomes are not guaranteed.

Tell your provider about bleeding tendencies, allergies, all medications and supplements, and any personal or family history of keloids or raised scars. Do not stop a prescribed blood thinner or antiplatelet medication on your own. Your prescribing clinician and our team decide together whether any change is safe.

Is This Right for Me?

Likely a good fit if you:

Have a growth that is symptomatic, irritated, or repeatedly caught on clothing
Have a mole that is new, changing, or concerning and want it evaluated
Would like a benign growth removed

Talk with us first if you:

Have a spot that looks suspicious for skin cancer, since diagnosis comes before any cosmetic removal
Have a history of keloids or raised scars, which we weigh carefully
Take blood thinners or have a bleeding condition we should plan around
Are prone to post-inflammatory pigment change, which can affect method choice

A note on skin tone: Any skin tone can develop pigment change after a procedure. In darker skin tones, healing may leave darker areas, called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, or lighter areas, called post-inflammatory hypopigmentation. Either may fade over time, but pigment change can sometimes persist.

Freezing in particular can cause blistering and may leave lighter skin, though darkening can also occur.

Raised scars are possible, and keloid risk is individualized. Personal or family history, the treatment site, age, and skin tone or ancestry may all affect risk. Skin tone alone cannot predict who will develop a keloid.

We weigh method, depth, and aftercare carefully. We avoid destructive treatment on any spot that needs a clear diagnosis first.

Insurance or Self-Pay

Medically necessary evaluation, biopsy, or removal may be submitted to insurance. Your dermatologist determines at your evaluation whether a removal is medical or cosmetic. Removal for cosmetic reasons is a self-pay cost.

We participate with select plans from insurers such as Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield (PPO and Options), Cigna, Corvel, Humana, Imagine Health, Multiplan, The Alliance, TriWest Healthcare Alliance, United Healthcare, and Zelis. We also accept Medicare Part B and select Medicare Advantage plans. Participation varies by plan and network.

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Why Patients Choose Advanced Dermatology

01 Physician-led

Dermatologist-Led Care.

Every treatment performed or supervised by a board-certified dermatologist — Dr. Monica Rani, MD (Medical Director) and Dr. Stavonnie Patterson, MD — or Sydney Freedman, PA-C.

02 Skin of Color