Moles

For simple procedures on very superficial lesions, you might only need a single visit. For deeper moles with a higher risk of scarring, you may require multiple treatments over several months.

The number varies according to the risk of side effects, the degree of discomfort, the risk of scarring, the appearance of the wounds while they are healing and the time available for treatment.

It’s often possible to remove a mole or skin lesion at home using products purchased online or from pharmacies. However, just because you can remove a mole yourself, it doesn’t mean you should.

If you've booked a full body skin check in conjunction with your mole mapping appointment, your skin will be examined by an experienced skin cancer doctor and individual moles or lesions will be examined and photographed dermoscopically.

Mole mapping is the process of photographing and documenting the entire skin surface and all the moles and lesions on it. Mole mapping is not the same as a full body skin examination, where a doctor examines and diagnoses your spots but does not necessarily take comprehensive photographs.

Unless your risk is very low, or you have recently had a full body skin check, we usually recommend you have a full body skin check by an accredited skin cancer doctor.

Raised moles can be removed in several ways, including radiofrequency surgery, shave excision, excision with stitches and cryotherapy (freezing). Removing a mole, whether flat or raised, should be done by a skin cancer doctor or dermatologist to reduce the risk of missing a diagnosis of skin cancer.

Moles can be removed from the face using surgical excision, laser surgery, radiofrequency surgery, shave excision, or cryotherapy. A qualified and experienced skin cancer doctor should perform the procedure, as they can rule out skin cancer before proceeding with treatment.

A flat mole is a type of pigmented skin growth that is typically benign (non-cancerous). If a flat mole needs to be removed, there are several methods that may be used, including surgical excision with stitches, shave excision, and laser ablation. New or changing flat moles must be examined by an experienced skin cancer doctor or dermatologist, as some pigmented flat moles can potentially be melanoma, a potentially serious skin cancer.

Several methods are available for mole removal, including surgical excision, radiofrequency ablation, shave excision, cryotherapy, electrocautery and laser ablation. The best method will depend on the diagnosis, location and size of the mole or skin lesion, and the patient's cosmetic goals and financial considerations. It is important to discuss all of these factors with a doctor to determine the best way to remove a mole.

Removing a mole cannot cause skin cancer. However, sometimes when a doctor removes a "suspicious mole" and has the tissue examined by a skin pathologist, the diagnosis is skin cancer. In other words, the procedure didn't cause the skin cancer but it was a skin cancer all along.

The cost of mole removal in Australia can vary widely depending on many factors, such as the type, size and location of the mole, the method used to remove it, and whether the "mole" is actually a skin cancer.

Doctors use multiple methods to remove moles and other skin lesions. The method varies according to the likely diagnosis, size and type of skin lesion, location on the body and patient preferences including cost and minimisation of scarring risk. Common methods include surgical excision with stitches, cryotherapy, radiofrequency surgery, shave excision, laser/IPL and electrocautery.

After mole removal, the skin surface is normally water resistant after 3 days. There may be a crust or scab over the wound for 1-3 weeks, and when it separates the skin should normally be intact and level wth the surrounding skin. There may be redness in the area as further skin strengthening occurs. This usually persists for several months to a year.

Facial moles can be removed, often with minimal scarring. The procedure varies according to the type of mole, whether it's flat or raised, and if a sample of skin needs to be sent to a laboratory for examination.

Laser treatment is most commonly used to remove flat, benign skin lesions such as lentigines (also known as "age spots") and angiomas (small, benign tumours made up of blood vessels). It can also be used to remove capillaries, which are small blood vessels that are visible through the skin.

Mole removal is safe. Serious medical complications are rare, and most problems following mole removal resolve in days or weeks.

Laser mole removal of a single spot can be relatively inexpensive, especially if the spot responds to a single treatment. However, most spots treated by laser require several treatments (typically 3 or 4) and this increases the cost.

Doctors can remove moles and other skin lesions for people considering mole removal. Doctors (specifically accredited skin cancer doctors and dermatologists) are experienced in examining moles, skin cancers and other skin lesions and can provide the appropriate medical or surgical treatment while reducing the risk of complications.

Black moles can be removed by a doctor using a variety of methods. If the mole resembles a melanoma (a type of skin cancer which is often black or partially black) it must be completely cut out and sent to a laboratory for examination by a skin pathologist to determine the diagnosis.

You can wash your hair after mole removal as long as the area is kept as dry as possible for 3 days. If stitches are in place, the area should not be completely submerged in water.

IPL can remove some flat pigmented moles (mainly lentigines – also known as freckles or age spots). It's not usually recommended for actual moles because it might not penetrate deeply enough to remove the entire mole and there is a risk of the mole returning. However there is a negligible scarring risk, so for the right type of pigmented skin lesion, IPL is highly recommended.

Moles can be removed without surgery. This can be a quick, relatively painless and low-scarring way of removing moles. Non-surgical techniques include IPL, laser, cryotherapy, radiofrequency, and electrosurgery. These procedures aren't suitable for all moles. Any mole that resembles a melanoma must be surgically removed.

In Australia, private health insurance rarely covers or contributes to the cost of mole removal. In order to qualify for a payment from private health insurance, the mole must be removed for medical and not cosmetic reasons, and the removal must be performed while you are a hospital inpatient. Individual insurers and policies vary, so it's always advisable to check with your insurer before claiming for any mole removal procedure.

Laser treatment removes moles and other skin lesions permanently as long as the skin lesion is selected carefully and the treatment course is adequate. This often means that multiple treatments are required.

Removing moles does not usually prevent melanoma. Some moles can develop into melanoma, but this is unusual for normal moles and even the most odd-looking moles. The best medical intervention for reducing the risk of melanoma in people with many moles is regular full-body skin checks by an accredited skin cancer doctor, possibly with regular mole mapping photography of the whole body to check for suspicious changes in the skin.

Removing moles does not usually prevent skin cancer. The most common skin cancers (basal and squamous cell carcinomas) and most melanomas grow from areas of normal skin. A small number of melanomas develop in pre-existing moles, but it's usually not possible to predict which moles will develop into melanoma, so removing moles doesn't tend to reduce the risk of future melanoma.

Moles usually grow back after removal because the entire mole hasn't been completely removed. This can happen for several reasons including removing inadequate margins during excision, not treating deep enough into the skin during radiofrequency surgery or shave biopsy, and not enough treatments or very gentle settings in laser or IPL treatment. It's not dangerous for a mole to reappear after treatment, although if there's any possibility that the "mole" was really a skin cancer, re-treatment is usually recommended.

Laser hair removal can affect moles. It doesn't make moles develop into skin cancer, but it can cause visual changes to the mole which can make it look like a skin cancer.

Moles can be removed for cosmetic reasons. There are several methods for removing moles that give excellent cosmetic results, often with little to no scarring. These methods may not be suitable for all moles, and are usually not appropriate for skin cancers.

Beauty spots are clusters of pigmented cells on the skin. Some people like them, some don't. There are different ways to remove them, such as surgery, laser, cryotherapy, or electrocautery. BBL is a type of laser that can treat beauty spots and other skin conditions. It uses light energy to destroy the pigment cells and stimulate skin regeneration.

Choosing the right person or clinic for a mole check or skin check is a crucial step in detecting skin cancer. Your own GP might have experience in diagnosing and treating skin cancers. If not, a skin cancer clinic can be a suitable alternative.

Knowing your skin cancer risk can help decide whether to have a full body check, or to have suspect moles checked individually.

In a single mole check, a doctor closely examines a spot or lump of concern that you've identified. Typically, the doctor will examine it using a dermoscope and possibly high-magnification digital photography to aid in diagnosis. At Spot Check Clinic, we can perform biopsies of suspicious spots or lumps and treat most skin cancers.

If you live in Australia, have white skin and are aged 40 or over, you should probably have a full body skin cancer check every year.