Mole Removal

Moles are commonly found dark-brown skin growths. Moles usually appear in childhood and teenage years and vary in shape and size. Moles can be flat or raised, smooth or wrinkled, and may have hair growing in them. They can develop anywhere on your body, including your scalp and between your fingers and toes.

Melanin provides your skin color. When clusters of skin cells group together, the melanin responds with darker colors in the form of a mole or skin patches. Some moles are affected adversely by the sun.

Most moles are not dangerous or cancerous. Protecting your skin from harmful ultraviolet radiation reduces your risk of moles becoming cancerous or of cancerous melanomas developing.

You should regularly check your body for new moles and determine if they meet the criteria of harmful moles. You can use the ABCDE guide for new or existing moles. The guide includes:

• A: Asymmetrical shape
• B: Border
• C: Color
• D: Diameter
• E: Evolving

Changes in your mole may indicate precancerous growth and may need to be erased. If your moles change in color, shape, or size, speak with the knowledgeable staff at Dermatology Associates of Central NJ.

Having your mole erased involves your doctor numbing the area and then cutting the mole off your skin. In some cases, your doctor uses Mohs surgery if the mole is precancerous or cancerous.

Mohs surgery ensures removal of all cancerous cells from your mole. Mohs surgery erases the majority of your mole and an extra layer beneath the mole. Your doctor examines the extra layer for cancerous cells and determines if another thin layer needs to be erased.