President Has 2 Moles Removed From His Face

Discussion Policy

Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.

Associated Press
Saturday, February 17, 2007

President Bush had two moles removed from his left temple yesterday. His doctors say they expect tests on the skin growths to show that they are noncancerous.

The five-minute procedure, called a shave biopsy, was performed in the White House office of Bush's official physician, Richard J. Tubb.

Stephen Krivda, a dermatologist from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, performed the procedure, for which only a local anesthetic was required.

Bush will have a one-inch scab on his temple, spokesman Scott Stanzel said. Test results will be available by the middle of next week.

"The doctors expect that both moles are benign," Stanzel said.

Bush has had several lesions removed before: a precancerous lesion on his left arm in August, a noncancerous skin growth on his neck in July 2005, small lesions from his left shoulder and face in 2004, and others from his face in December 2001. None has been cancerous, but the president has regular checkups to guard against any lesions advancing to a more dangerous stage.

The procedure came about at the president's initiation. On Monday, he showed one mole he noticed to Tubb, who noticed another and recommended that both be removed, Stanzel said.