When is mole removal needed?

Moles are of different types. Moles basically have three main categories. The decision to remove them or leave them be will be guided by knowledge of the differences among these three.

Is mole removal mandatory?

This might seem to be an absurd question for science students. Laymen, however, would tend to be nervous and upset, once they read articles supporting the theory that moles are cancerous. The process of mole removal is no more a difficult one.

Earlier people were trying out a lot of home remedies or other natural techniques. But today, laser surgery or excision surgery is carried out in many hospitals and they are exclusively performed by skin surgeons who specialize in mole removal. You have to have your mole diagnosed for any cancerous tendencies before signing up for a surgical procedure to remove them.

When this differentiation is understood clearly, you will find out whether a surgery is required or not. Nevus, the most common types of moles do not have cancerous tendencies. They may be similar to common moles but dysplastic nevus can sometimes be cancerous. Melanoma, on the other hand, is sure to cause cancer.

Their differences in moles lie in their shapes and sizes. You can also find variation in the color of the moles, symmetry, border line as well as differences in the surface texture. Common moles, once removed, have lesser possibilities of appearing again. The same is true for dysplastic nevus; they don't reappear after being removed. It's different with melanoma, however, since they can reappear even after being removed. Years after a successful excision surgery, melanoma still reappeared in some patients. When you compare three different forms, melanoma is the most harmful one. It not only affects a single area in the body but also spreads wide to all the other regions. However, just because a mole forms in one area does not mean other areas of the body will follow suit. Surface areas of normal moles are usually flat. They are smooth spots on your skin. They can also have raised areas or bumps in some cases.

Dysplastic nevus, despite having smooth surfaces, can look unsightly. They lack proper symmetry or shape, unlike common moles. In fact, they can have a pebbly appearance. Melanoma, on the other hand, has a scraped appearance. It is a little hard and also lumpy. Sometimes, you can find blood oozing out from it. 

When it comes to the shape, nevus has a round one, and sometimes it can also be oval. There is no proper shape for dysplastic nevus. In the same way, melanoma also has no symmetry or proper shape. One way of finding out if a mole can turn cancerous is close observation of its shape.

You should consider removing your mole if it does not have a well-define size or shape. Nevus is well separated from the skin and has a distinct contour. Melanoma, on the other hand, has blurred edges. You won't be able to tell where the mole ends and the skin starts because the mole's notched contour basically meshes well into the skin. The same type of contour is also observed in people with dysplastic nevus.

Not all moles are harmful. In some cultures, they are regarded as beauty spots provided they are located on a certain spots.

I sincerely hope that this article has done a good contribution in making you aware about different types of moles and their features.