Men's laser hair removal works with moles: the specialist covers or skips the mole itself, and the hair around it goes as usual. The back, chest and shoulders often have many moles, and that's no reason to give up on the treatment. Separate cases are unusual or changing moles, a mark left after removal and hair growing right out of a mole.
Why the laser doesn't go over a mole
The laser looks for pigment, and a mole has a lot of it, so a flash set for hair acts on the mole too. Afterwards the mole may lighten, darken, shrink or become asymmetric. Such changes look like signs of an atypical mole, which makes it harder for a dermatologist to tell what is going on. That's why moles aren't treated.
How we work around moles on the back and chest
Before the session, the specialist checks the area and marks the moles: small ones are covered with a white pencil, large ones with a wipe that blocks the beam. The flashes go around them with a small margin, and the hair on the mole itself stays. On the back, chest and shoulders, this check takes a few minutes before the first session.
You can't see your own back, but the specialist can. If a mole looks unusual, they'll tell you and ask you to show it to a dermatologist first. More about the back in How to get rid of back hair for men.
What happens if a flash hits a mole
If a flash does hit a mole, the skin around it reddens like after a mild sunburn. The mole itself may lighten, darken or shrink, and these changes last: studies have seen them three years later. Show it to a dermatologist and say a flash went over it: changes after laser look like signs of an atypical mole, and the doctor needs to know the cause.
Sources: American Academy of Dermatology, Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 2023 (PubMed)
Does laser cause mole cancer
Studies describe no cases of a mole turning into cancer after laser hair removal. But the long-term effects, including cancer risk, haven't been studied, and changes in atypical moles have been observed after laser. So caution is needed if you or your family have had skin cancer, or if a mole changes size, shape or colour, has an uneven edge, itches, hurts or bleeds. In such cases we first ask you to see a dermatologist, and laser comes after their conclusion.
Sources: Cancer Council Australia, Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 2023 (PubMed), NHS, Moles
Hair from a mole and shaving
Ordinary harmless moles sometimes have hair growing from them. Laser can't remove it, because we don't flash the mole. You can trim it carefully with scissors, and if it bothers you, ask a dermatologist.
A raised mole is easy to catch with a razor, so shave that area carefully before the session. You don't need to shave your face specially; more in Beard line laser hair removal.
Sources: NHS, Moles
After mole removal: how long to wait
A removal site is first a wound, then a young scar. We postpone laser around it until the skin has fully healed; the doctor who removed the mole is the best person to tell you when. We then skip the scar itself. If the mole was removed because of a suspicion, laser in that area only after the dermatologist's conclusion.
How we handle it
Men's hair removal with us starts with a free consultation: the specialist checks the area, marks moles and pigment spots and tells you right away what will be treated and what will stay. If a mole raises questions, we first ask you to show it to a dermatologist. We work with a hybrid laser (alexandrite, diode and neodymium) with contact cooling. Prices for laser hair removal for men in Prague in every area are in the men's price list.
Reviewed by: MEDULLA team