Moles check-up

There are numerous different types of moles. The most important factor is how to perform their visual check and recognize the ones that require professional’s attention. Not rarely, patients who visit our practice for a ‘suspicious’ mole checkup are panicky, but most of the time it is just over a simple wart, papilloma or some other skin creation. Patients usually require checkups of moles pinky or light brown in color, roundedly shaped, with clear edges and a solid structure that stick out from the skin or just the ones that look undesirable or discomfort them because of their location.

Those moles are mostly harmless and very seldom turn malignant. However, often when a patients visits us for an urgent checkup of what appears to be a benign mole, some other moles of questionable nature come out. Ones that are over 6mm wide in diameter, in level with the skin, dark brown close to black in color, with uneven, serrated edges! This kind of mole represents potential threat because under the influence of various harmful factors they tend to destabilize in structure and deteriorate into melanoma.

When to check your moles?

Moles are not threatening when under control. Remove them or not?

When the checkup is completed there is absolutely no dilemma for the surgeon! If, based on the above diagnostics, a surgical removal is indicated, whether for preventive or treating reasons, all the questions get answered. What represents a bigger issue are patient’s uncertainties whether or not a mole should be removed, caused by prejudice, delusions, false opinions, half-truths and belief that the removal of birthmarks is unfavorable for ones health even when life threatening. Those misconceptions reach so far that the patient even refuses to ask for professional help or does so at the advanced stage.

The answer to their fears and dilemmas would be that skilled removal of the moles performed by a surgeon who possesses vast knowledge of the subject is absolutely safe and is done with the intention of preserving health. Continuous education of the population with the goal of eliminating these delusions is crucial. Melanoma is the most dangerous skin cancer but when discovered at an early stage patient could be 100% cured. If, for some reason, no timely and appropriate action is taken, melanoma spreads, reaches metastasis and leads to fatal outcome. Remember, check your moles on time and leave the decision of whether or not they should be removed to the surgeon himself.