Skin Lesions / Mole Removal

Moles are skin imperfections that many people like to call “beauty marks”. However, the medical name for a mole is melanocytic nevus. Melanocytes are mature skin cells that produce a dark brown/black pigment called melanin, which is what causes the skin to tan with sun exposure or tanning beds.

Moles occur when melanocytes hyper-proliferate to form growth clusters. They can be black, dark brown, blue, tan, red, purple, pink, or meshing of any of those colours. Moles can be flush with the surface of the skin or raised up from it. Most moles are no larger than the size of a pencil eraser, about ½-inch in diameter. Some people have family histories of moles. The medical term for moles present at birth is congenital nevi.

Moles occur on all parts of the body including the arms, legs, genitals, ears, face, eyelids, and even on the palms of the hands. Some moles become more prominent when exposed to sunlight. Moles can be smooth or wrinkled, and most moles are oval or circular in shape.

The majority of normal moles cause no problems and are completely safe. Moles that change shape, size, colour, or other characteristics rapidly might become a type of skin cancer called melanoma. Hair growing from a mole does not indicate cancer. However, a greater number of moles is linked to a higher risk of melanoma.

Types of Moles

Moles are classified as regular, irregular, or cancerous. Regular moles are small, round, symmetrical, may be raised or flat, and of uniform colour. They are typically harmless and benign.

Unusual moles tend to have asymmetrical borders, present with multiple colours, are often flat, and are typically larger than a pencil eraser. Having 20 or more moles increases the chances of developing skin cancer, especially in those with a family history of melanoma.

Some congenital moles (present at birth) grow to more than 8 inches in diameter. While these moles rarely become melanomas, they are linked to a greater overall chance of skin cancer.

Cancerous moles are highly irregular skin imperfections. They are commonly asymmetrical and are likely to change in appearance. These malignant moles are most common on the shoulders, back, neck, and ears where people receive the most exposure to sunshine.

Difference between Moles & Warts

Like a mole, a wart can be smooth to the touch on the surface. However, warts are scaly, thick, and hard, like a callus growing underneath the skin. Commonly, warts contain a pattern of small black dots which are tiny blood vessels that have become clotted.

Warts occur because the person comes in contact with the human papillomavirus (HPV), a blanket term for more than 150 similar viruses. This is a contagious virus and common warts are transmitted via casual skin contact or sexual contact. You can get a wart from a handshake, sharing a bath towel, or borrowing somebody’s shoes.

Picking at a wart, biting your fingernails near a wart, or scraping the skin near a wart can transmit the virus and cause new warts to develop.

A wart can take 2-6 months to develop after coming in contact with the HPV. Warts can be painful but are normally harmless otherwise. In order to get rid of a wart, all the skin cells that have the virus have to be eliminated. At-home wart removal products can work but many users fail to use them consistently or for an adequate time period.

The best way to have a wart removed is to have your Physician  freeze it off using liquid nitrogen. It is important to have warts removed promptly because you can spread them to others, or re infect yourself.

Difference between Moles & Skin Tags

Skin tags are little flaps of skin that form because of friction caused by rubbing against a collar, clothes, or other areas of skin, like under the arm. Unlike a mole, a skin tag is just a ball of skin tissue that is attached by a thin pedestal of flesh.

Skin tags are normally harmless. However, they can be irritating and may get snagged on various objects, which may then cause them to bleed or be painful. Your dermatologist can quickly and simply remove these small flaps of skin.

Moles, Melanoma, & Cancer: When to be Concerned

Most moles are not cancerous and cause no serious health concerns. However, moles should be monitored for rapid changes that could indicate a developing melanoma. Contact your doctor to diagnose any mole that you notice:

• Is itchy, bleeding, or painful
• Is multicoloured or changes colours
• Is asymmetrical or increasing in size
• Changes from being flat to raised

Procedures for Mole Removal

The only reliable way to treat a mole is surgical removal. The outpatient procedure is quick, effective, safe, and relatively painless. A local anesthesia agent will be used to numb the area of the lesion to be removed. Permanent scarring may result.

Regular moles do not cause any harm and do not need to be removed or treated for medical concerns. Some people actually like having moles that they feel accentuate their physical attractiveness.

We recommend to start by booking a consultation with our Cosmetic Doctor ($90.00) so he can access you.