Treatment of Moles

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If the results of a biopsy show unusual cell changes in the mole, you will probably need to have it removed. If melanoma is found early on it can normally be removed with a simple surgical technique. This is because the melanoma is still thin and hasnâ€™t yet grown downwards from the skin surface or spread to other parts of the body. If melanoma isnâ€™t found early, the cancer cells can spread through the bloodstream and form tumours elsewhere.

If your doctor is concerned about a mole, you may have it removed before the results from the biopsy are back, or the whole mole may be removed for testing. If any unusual cells are found when it is analysed, youâ€™ll need to see your doctor again to re-check the treated area and look at the rest of your moles.

Moles are usually surgically removed using one of the following methods:

Excision (cutting out the mole), sometimes with stitches, or
Excision with cauterisation (a tool is used to â€˜burnâ€™ away the mole).

Whether you have stitches or not depends on how big and deep the mole is, and how much of a scar it will leave.

Before a mole is removed, the area of skin is cleaned, and numbed with a local anaesthetic. For removal without stitches, the surgeon uses a scalpel to scrape off the mole so that itâ€™s level with or slightly below the skin. An electrical tool is then used to â€˜burnâ€™ the area. The wound is covered with a sterile dressing, and the surgeon or nurse will tell you how to look after it until itâ€™s healed.

Moles that need stitches after theyâ€™re removed are usually large, darker and/or flat. The surgeon cuts away the mole and some of the surrounding skin, depending on the risk of cancer and if any abnormal cells could have spread. Dissolvable stitches may be put inside the wound, or the surface of the skin may be stitched and the stitches taken out later.

Moles are sometimes removed for cosmetic reasons even if they are harmless, for example if a person has a mole they think is large and unsightly and is affecting their self-esteem and confidence. You usually have to pay for this type of treatment yourself, and itâ€™s often carried out at a private clinic â€“ ask your GP for advice about where to get treatment.