Painful mole removal?

[Hermia]

I had a mole removed last week (with liquid nitrogen stuff, I think) and I was surprised by how painful it was? I'd done my research on mole removal and everyone told me it was painless. I got a bad feeling about it when I got on the couch and the nurse held my legs and started talking to me in a loud, falsely cheerful voice. I think I have a pretty good pain threshhold, but I dread having to have it again. Anyone else had the same experience?

[oxeyedaisy]

oh it sounds painfull have never had it done ..hope i dont have to after reading your post..why dont you try a herbal tranquiliser next time you get it done..to calm you down..my husband had a wart and i bought some of that liquid nitrogen and he said it was agony..i think i left it on longer than it said..and it was on his neck a tender spot..well it got rid of it..hope you feel better..

[Hermia]

I don't think not being calm was the problem! Having my skin burned off was the problem!! It's still agony a week later, especially as loads of the surrounding skin is burned not just the mole.

[maximo]

How I sympathize Hermia ! I had one removed from my back too, and the doctor offered to give me a local anaesthetic, but I said no as I have a huge phobia about needles, and thought it would be quick and painless ( as some people had told me ). Oh, how wrong I was !! It was terribly painful and took ages ! It's like being burned and scratched at the same time. Dreadful. I can tell you, if I ever have to have another one removed, I'll brave my fear of needles and ask for an anaesthetic !

[oxeyedaisy]

i hope i never get one as i am scared after reading your posts..

[cassimer]

I had two moles removed last week, and they were done with with a local anaesthetic, then cut out and stiched. I thought the liquid nitrogen stuff that they spray on was just used to kill warts etc! I had one done once, and was very painful! I think you should talk again to your doctor. When the anaesthetic wore off for me it was virtually painless, and when this kind of treatment is on offer, I cant imagine why anyone should be made to go through what you did.

[FP]

I had an appointment last week to have a cyst on my finger removed using this method, but when I got there the doctor said he would rather I saw a surgeon at the hospital as it involves doing some rebuilding of my finger (plastic surgery) and having my nail off, all under local anaesthetic.

I was really annoyed at the time as the cyst is ugly and I had been looking forward to getting rid of it. However,reading your question Hermia, I am now really glad!  Poor you.

I hope you feel beter soon.

[woofgang]

My mum has non malignant skin cancer and says that having it frozen off is the most painful, next most painful is scraped, she has had some cut out under local and says that even with the stitches this is the least painful.

Hope you are over it now, Hermia

[Kay]

Im suprised Hermia as I thought only warts were frozen off. My daughter had a mole on the top of her chest removed by local anaesthetic followed by stitches.  I dont think she could have stood the pain of having it frozen off. If I were you I would insist on LA. Its your body afterall. I hope you recover soon..

[flaming]

I think it is wise to have a local anaesthetic for any medical procedure.  Without an injection one is tensed against the pain even before there's any pain, which adds to the body's trauma;  you might move a bit too much and get injured somewhere else during the procedure, making the suffering much worse.  Also, it can't be very nice for practicioners, knowing you are going to feel everything and that you might become difficult to handle because of the pain.  I find it difficult to believe that you were not offered a local.  If you are not offered, you could insist.  

Another thing is that we hold in our groans and screams.  That's the modern way for you - adding to pain by trying to deny it.  Letting out groans and screams is a way of coping with the tension and pain, a realease for the body.  If a person goes without anaesthetic, that's a good excuse for a few stiff brandies beforehand.

[cat woman]

My brother-in-law went to the hospital last thursday, ( he has skin cancer on his face ) they used luquid nitrogen on his brow. The doctor used a gun which looked like fire distingiusher and applied it twice to the infected area. My sister told me he looked like he'd had two cigarette burns, the doctor told him he would feel some discomfort that night & he did, the treated area got bigger by evening which looked like cigar burns. He still has more treatment to have in July where they are going to cut the cancer out which is near his eye, he will have local anaesthetic for that proceedure. This the second time in 2 and half yrs he has had treatment for skin cancer, the first time it was cut out under local  he is quite a tough guy but he has said he wants general because it was painful the first time.

 

My husband has had two moles taken off him one on his back, the other on the top of his arm, our doctor gave him local anaesthetic on both occasions as they needed to be cut out, he was o.k.  :-)

[ludwig]

I had a mole removed from my neck - cut off under local anaesthetic - I wasn't offered any alternative, but it sounds like I got the best option. Never felt a thing, during or afterwards.

[metagirl]

Very bizarre. I had a mole removed - not with liquid nitrogen though - a couple months ago and was left with no pain and 3 stitches. afterwards, the doctor showed me the perfect little brown disk he removed from my arm. of course, i didn't understand a word the nurse was saying to me (she had a thick unknown accent) but the doctor was magnificent. i would get it checked out if it continues to bother you.  

[FP]

My son had two large moles removed by local anaesthetic when he was 12 and it didn't hurt him at all.

[catra1]

i had a mole removed - cut out and it didn't hurt. I was told about the Liquid Nitrogen method and told by the nurse she had seen tough men crying when they had used this form of removal....it really put me off so i'm afraid I'll go for cutting and stiches evertime! (my doctor calls me the moley woman- very flattering)

Catra

[Hermia]

Thanks for all the replies. It's reassuring to know that freezing moles off IS painful and I wasn't just being a wimp. It's now over a week since I've had it done and it's still sore and looks dreadful, but my friend said it took a couple of weeks before hers began to feel better.

It makes me wonder why doctors don't use a local anaesthetic as a matter of course when doing this procedure. They are so quick to work these days and it would mean that the doctor could do his job without having to deal with an upset patient.

[Hermia]

Ha! I was trying to delete my sexist reply (referring to doctors as men) to no avail! Ha ha!

[barneg01]

I had a mole removed with liquid nitrogen about 3 months ago. It was extremely painful and ended up looking like a cigarette burn- very red, swollen and sore afterwards. The scab fell off after about 3 weeks and then the old mole grew back. I'm not sure if perhaps they did not give me enough treatment the first time round or if there is something wrong with the mole, but I intend to get further medical advice about it and will definitely ask for it to be cut off this time instead.  

[Some Dude]

i had a of worts frozen and im about to freeze a mole off by myself with a can of "Dust Off" .... its just compressed air... what happens when u freeze **** off is it make the body realize that it needs repairs then they start to try repairing and most of the time it will relize the foreign invaders and then start attacking it... normally it sees this **** as just normal skin