Many people have raised marks on their body, either black or brown in color, which range from the size of a pencil tip to the size of a pencil eraser. These marks are called moles. While most moles are harmless, some moles are actually cancerous and should be removed by a doctor. Although the safest way to remove any mole is removal by a doctor, there are some unverified home remedies that you can try to remove your mole.
Understand that the safest way to remove a mole is by going to a doctor. A doctor will be able to look at the mole and see whether it's a harmless mole, or a potentially cancerous mole. You can try to remove a mole at home using common household items, but the safest, most effective way is surgery, unfortunately. Surgery involves either:
- Excision with cauterization. The mole is shaved off at the level of the rest of your skin and the doctor cauterizes the skin afterward.
- Excision with stitches. The mole is cut off under and around the skin, and stitches are used to close up the wound afterward.
Understand that home treatments to remove moles may result in skin damage, scarring or possible infection. If you plan on trying to remove a mole or moles on your own, without the help of a doctor, know first that these procedures may backfire. There's a reason your doctor uses surgery to remove moles (it works); it ends up being a lot less dangerous in the right hands than other methods.
- Understand that moles aren't ugly or unsightly. Many people, especially teens, think that their moles are nasty or hard to look at. In fact, many more people hardly notice moles, or think that moles look cute or are sexy. (Take a look at Cindy Crawford.)
- Think twice before trying to remove a mole on your face. Removing a mole can be a painful process. The skin around the mole becomes red and inflamed, and could even scar as the mole is removed. Having a huge scar in the middle of your cheek or forehead is surely worse than having a mole.
- Test on small, hidden moles first. Instead of automatically going for the biggest, most visible mole first, try removing a smaller mole with one of the methods below. If the method works, that's great: give it a try elsewhere. If it doesn't, you can let the mole heal again and no one should know that the procedure failed.
Use apple cider vinegar. This is an inexpensive way to get rid of a mole leaving no scar. Put a few drops of apple cider vinegar on a cotton ball. Put the cotton ball on the mole and wrap a bandage around it. Leave the bandage on for an hour. Do this everyday until the mole falls off or disappears.
Use 5% iodine solution. While Iodine is not readily available over the counter in some countries, it can be an effective mole zapper. Caution: iodine is toxic in large quantities. If you do choose to use iodine to help remove a mole, do not ingest it.
- Apply a drop of iodine onto the mole twice a day and cover with a band-aid. (Apply once in the morning and once at night.) After about a week, the mole should begin to come off.
- Use garlic. Take a clove of garlic. Slice it in half. Put the half piece of garlic on the mole and leave it overnight wrapped in a bandage. Do this several days to remove the mole.
- 6Use banana peels. Peel the peels off a banana. Make sure that the inside of the peel is in contact with the mole. Do this several days. The peel theoretically will dry up the mole until it falls off.
- 7Use mole removal cream with caution. Mole removal creams are more expensive than many of these household items, but still cheaper than surgery. At the same time, mole removal creams should be used with caution. They can leave pits in your skin and cause scarring that's more noticeable than the mole was in the first place. If you choose to use mole removal cream, follow instructions exactly.
- 8Use baking soda and castor oil. Take a pinch of baking soda and moisten it with a couple of drops of castor oil. Dab this paste onto the mole. Leave it on overnight. Do this continuously for a few days. The mole(s) could be removed over time.
- Use strawberries. Slice a strawberry and put the slice over the mole. In several days, the mole should begin to disappear.
- 10Use grapefruit juice. Take a fresh grapefruit and squeeze it to get its juice. Apply this juice to the moles repeatedly several times each day. This will ensure the removal of your moles within 2 weeks or a month.