Moles

Let me know if there is medicine to take for that, because I have some small ones on my neck that I would not care to see a dr. over.

1. It is possible to have moles removed but only after the first trimester.
2. Most doctors wil not remove moles during pregnancy unless there is a cancer risk. Most won't remove them period unless there is a cancer risk. It's considered cosmetic and you have to pay out of pocket.
If her doctor isn't worried about it, then she shouldn't be and will have to deal with the cosmetic issue.

NO! And don't mess with chemicals either (wart remover etc). The chemicals could do harm to the baby. Her dr. knows best. Tell her to be patient.

Really? Can't wait 6 mos.? I hope for her sake she doesn't start getting other unsightly things due to pregnancy or she may have a breakdown! Becoming a mom means having to wait for a lot of things and putting baby first. If her doctors don't want to do it until after the baby there is probably a good reason, like she might scar badly because your skin and body are different during pregnancy and making your body focus on healing instead of making baby isn't the best choice. Or the drugs they need to numb the area aren't good for baby or she will probably get more before her next 5-6mos is up so she should wait anyway. Or they know that if she is this freaked about moles she is probably gonna want a lot of work done after the baby comes and she should do it all at once...

I had two moles and a cyst while I was pregnant with my second child. I had the cyst removed by a dermatologist while I was 7 months pregnant since the novocaine is harmless to the baby while still in utero. I confirmed this with my dentist too since dental work can sometimes require novocaine and it is also safe to use during pregnancy. The moles, however, I chose to wait until right after the baby was born because they were both on my face and I wanted to do it while on maternity leave so I wouldn't have obnoxious band-aids on my face during work. I allowed the scars to heal up before having to return to work since you are not allowed to put any make up on them for a while after removal. The dermatologist would have had no problem doing it while still pregnant, but he did comment that they tend to get bigger during pregnancy. It's not that it harms the baby in any way; it's just that they may grow back due to hormones so getting them removed twice may not be the best way to go.
I saw Dr. Benjamin Raab - He has a Plainfield office and a Naperville/Aurora office if you'd like to look him up!

When I was pregnant with my twin girls I had moles pop up, seemingly out of nowhere, but mainly on my belly (and quite a few of them too). Many of them went away within months of my daughters being born. She if can wait, she may be surprised - maybe the same thing will happen with her, and they will go away on their own.

There is no medication to remove moles. It must be done by a Dr. who will remove them. I think he could remove them safely without harming the baby but he knows more about that than I. I would take the Dr's advice and wait or see another dr. for a 2nd opinion.

L., RN

I am also pregnant and have had problems with moles. My doctor told me that they do not remove moles during pregnancy because the level of hormones that cause the moles to grow remains constant until the baby is born. If the moles are removed mid-pregnancy they can grown back only to be removed again. Not sure if this helps or not, but this is what both of my doctors told me.

No, there is no medicine that will remove moles and even if there were she'd be better off waiting until the baby's born anyway. I'm surprised her doctor won't remove them though. Maybe she could call a dermatology office to get a second opinion. It's a pretty simple process to remove them but maybe her current doctor doesn't think it's a good idea for some reason. But honestly, besides for having them cut out/off, there's nothing you can do for them.

I know I had several 'skin tags' form during pregnancy that went away after my children were born. They were due to the level of hormones generated. But those were colorless. But they sure were annoying so I feel her pain.

S.

Are you sure they are moles and not skin tags? Just asking because I did get a lot of skin tags when pregnant. They went away after pregnancy.

C. T.

I have many moles. They tend to change during pregnancy because they have estrogen receptors or something like that. The only way to get rid of them is to have them cut out/off. Sometimes the scars left behind can be worse than the original moles. I had to have one looked at during my first pregnancy because it became VERY dark and I was concerned about melanoma. To make a long story short, my OB/GYN referred me to a dermatologist and I had the mole removed and tested. I had to have a much larger section of skin cut out (which ended up timing-wise to be after delivery) because my results were abnormal. All of this can be done during pregnancy if NECESSARY, but if your sister can wait, it will be better for her. Unless the moles look suspicious, it will merely be a cosmetic procedure (probably better done by a dermatologist).

K.,
I am sorry your sister is feeling so uncomfortable with these moles. It is not abnormal for moles and skin tags to either appear or grow larger.
While I don't know what the doctor is thinking, my guess it that they are taking into consideration that she will be more hormonally balanced 6 months postpartum then she is now. DOCTORS do not generally judge a mom, thinking...hey, she is freaking out now about a few moles, give her some time, she is going to have a breakdown when pregnancy gives her some more changes to her body...as another poster hinted.
I would understand that they are more thoughtful then that. If you feel compelled to go for another consult, or return to your OB with this issue, I would recommend you write down some questions:
1. What is the reason for waiting until I am 6 months postpartum to remove the moles on my neck?
(the Lidocaine that they use to numb the skin is NOT harmful to the baby....also, my guess is that your hormones during pregnancy will continue to change your skin, thus causing the moles to grow, causing it to be more difficult to get it all, or perhaps it will grow back, etc?)
...also, the moles do tend to decrease in size on their own a bit, not all the way, but often reduce in size, after delivery.

2. If I am breastfeeding. will I be hormonally stable at 6 months postpartum to get the moles removed?

It is okay for her to not like the way she looks and to feel frustrated and impatient. She will NOT have a breakdown!
Do not even entertain that idea.
Give her positive support, nothing that she does to treat these moles is going to harm her baby!

Good luck!

K. RN BSN CCE
Baby Feat, LLC

While I was pregnant, I had a mole on my neck get bigger and develop a lump underneath it. My doctors also said that I should wait until I had the baby because it could go back to normal afterward. It didn't, and I ended up having it removed, which wasn't that big of a deal. I think that's the only thing you can really do for moles. Bodies sure do strange things during pregnancy!

I had a few moles get bigger while I was pregnant. They shrunk back to their normal size after I had the baby.

Don't do anything to the moles unless the doctor says ok. Moles can effect your body in may ways and should only be cared for under the ok of a medical doctor.
Moles can come and go but they also can be the on set of other diseases and cancers, not that it is in this case but she should not play around with any over the counter drugs unless approved by her doctor.

S.