When is mole removal needed?
Moles are of different types. There are mainly three categories of moles. The decision to remove them or leave them be will be guided by knowledge of the differences among these three.
Is it necessary to remove moles, if you have them?
This question may come across as ridiculous for some science students. But for a layman, such doubts can arise, when they read scientific articles about moles causing cancer. It used to be that skin mole removal is complicated; that is no longer the case.
People in the past had to make do with home remedies and natural treatment methods. However, hospitals now conduct laser surgery or excision, carried out only by skin surgeons, to remove moles. Before going right ahead with any surgery or treatment, you should first determine if your mole has a possibility of becoming cancerous or not.
When this differentiation is understood clearly, you will find out whether a surgery is required or not. The most common types of moles, called nevus, are not cancerous at all. Despite being similar to common moles, however, dysplastic nevus can sometimes pose cancer risks. Melanoma, on the other hand, is sure to cause cancer.
Moles have different shapes and sizes. In others, you can see the differences in border line, surface texture and overall symmetry. There are lesser chances for common moles to reappear, once they have been successfully removed. 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. Among the three, melanoma poses the most danger. It can affect many parts of the body and not just a single area. However, a mole forming on one area does not mean others will be triggered into appearing in other parts as well. The surface area of normal moles is flat. They are smooth spots on your skin. They can also have raised areas or bumps in some cases.
Dysplastic nevus will also have a smooth surface, but look unsightly. Unlike common moles; they do not have a proper shape or symmetry. Their appearance is actually pebbly. Melanoma, on the other hand, has a scraped appearance. They are also lumpy and quite hard. In some instances, blood can ooze from them.
Among the three forms of moles, nevus is round; sometimes, oval. There is no proper shape for dysplastic nevus. A proper shape or symmetry is also lacking in melanoma. 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. Take note that nevus has a distinct contour and is quite defined from the skin. Melanoma, on the other hand, has blurred edges. You will have trouble telling the mole from the skin because the notched contours blend very well with the skin tone. This can also be seen in the contour of dysplastic nevus.
Last but not the least; not all moles are dangerous. In some cultures, they are regarded as beauty spots provided they are located on a certain spots.
I sincerely hope that this article has played a very good part in giving you idea about different types of moles and their features.