Skin Check & Mole Removal

What is a mole?

A mole appears when there is a cluster of pigment cells (melanocytes) in the skin. A mole can appear as a skin-coloured, brown, or black spot in the skin and the colour of the mole depends on where the pigment cells lie within the skin.

What causes moles?

Although we do not know what exactly causes the pigment cells (melanocytes) to multiply in nests and form a mole; we know that a number of factors such as genetics, hormones, sun (UV light) exposure and the immune system influence the number of moles we have.

People who have a family history of multiple moles, tend to also have multiple moles themselves. Moles tend to appear or become darker after sun exposure. New moles can appear or existing moles can become darker during pregnancy. People who are immunosuppressed can also have more moles.

Can moles be prevented?

Sun protection is the most important step in preventing new moles from appearing. Also, avoiding excessive sun exposure and sunburn can reduce the risk of skin cancer.

How can I monitor my moles?

The best way to monitor a mole is to measure the size, and photograph the mole. It is then important to check for any changes regularly (e.g. once a month) in terms of size, border, colour and appearance by comparing it with previous photographs.

If there are any changes to a mole, you should consider getting the mole checked by a dermatologist.

How do I know if my mole needs to be checked by a dermatologist?

Generally speaking, if a mole has any of the features below , you should consider getting it checked by a dermatologist to rule out a skin cancer:

• A mole that looks different from other moles on your body
• Asymmetrical
• Irregular borders
• Multiple, different shades of colour
• Large size eg. >7mm
• Rapidly growing
• Change in size, colour or border
• Painful or itchy mole

What can the skin lesion be, apart from being a mole?

There are many other skin lesions that can appear as a brown or skin colored spot. These can be

• Dermatofibroma: a harmless brown or skin-colored lump that commonly appears on the skin of the lower legs
• Cyst: a round lesion that contains fluid or semi-fluid material in the skin
• Seborrhoeic keratosis: a harmless, warty skin growth
• Blue naevus: a harmless, dark blue mole with pigment cells lying deeper than in brown moles
• Lentigo: a persistent small, dark spot in the skin usually due to exposure to ultraviolet light
• Freckle / ephelis: temporary brown spots on the skin due to exposure to ultraviolet light
• Skin cancer: three main types of skin cancers – basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma; these lesions need to be removed and examined under the microscope