What are moles?
Moles are generally harmless skin growths that may be flat or raised. They vary in color from pink flesh tones to tan or brown. Most people have at least one mole, while others have many. The number depends on our genes. Moles sometimes appear in “crops,” especially during adolescence.
What causes moles?
Moles may begin to grow in infancy, but new ones can develop at any age. Once a mole appears, it usually remains for life without becoming a medical problem. A growing or changing mole, especially in an adult, should be checked by a physician. It is essential to be aware of your moles and any possible changes to monitor for potential skin cancer, particularly for adults.
Schedule mole removal
Most moles are harmless and safe to ignore. When treatment is necessary, it can be done under the following conditions:
- Your mole has bled, has an unusual shape, is growing rapidly, or changes color. These are all warning signs of possible malignancy.
- Clothing, combs, or razors irritate your mole.
- You have an unsightly mole that you want to remove for “cosmetic reasons.”
At Skin Medical Aesthetics in Windham, Maine, we remove flat moles with the ICON laser system. This laser system utilizes pulses of light (hundreds of pulses per second) to heat and break-up the unwanted cells that make up the mole. Treatments will precisely focus on the mole and not on the surrounding tissue.
Laser mole removal is only appropriate for flat moles (i.e., ones that do not rise above the surface of the skin). For raised moles, Dr. Perrone can perform surgical excision.
