A mole is a round, black or brown growth that can appear anywhere on the body. Usually, moles are not a danger to your health but in some cases, irregular moles can be a sign of skin cancer.

A mole scanning service, also known as mole mapping, is a thorough skin check performed by a professional dermatologist, which is designed to assess and record your moles and identify any suspicious or changing features in them.

Our mole removal specialist will examine your moles and will advise you whether you need mole removal treatment and what the best options are in your case. Moles can also be removed at your own request for cosmetic reasons.

Mole removals can be performed on any part of your body or face where a mole is present.

A dermatology specialist may recommend a mole is removed if it’s new, if it’s changed in appearance, if it looks abnormal or if there’s a concern that it may have become malignant.

Yes, cosmetic mole removal is a procedure that we do on a regular basis at the Midland Health clinic.

Once the local anesthetic has been administered and allowed a few minutes to work, the skin goes completely numb and no sharp pain is felt. Slight discomfort can be experienced during the injection.

No, removing a mole at home poses many risks to your health, including infections and scarring. Furthermore, you will not be able to diagnose whether the mole was cancerous, which could lead to skin cancer remaining undiagnosed longer.

It would be very unlikely for a mole to grow back after mole removal as long as this has been removed fully. The type of mole and type of procedure can influence the likelihood of a mole coming back.

If you don’t feel faint or dizzy, you will be able to go back home immediately after the procedure. Full recovery may take a few days and you may experience itchiness or soreness but pain is uncommon.

Various factors determine predisposition to skin cancer, including personal and family history of skin cancer, number and size of the moles on your body, as well as your skin, eye and hair colour. People with pale skin who burn in the sun quickly, those with light eyes, blond or ginger hair, people who have sunburned in the past or have a known family history of skin cancer, are at a higher risk of developing skin cancer.

There are 3 types of skin cancer more commonly seen: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.

Some of the visual signs that can indicate a mole could be a melanoma include an asymmetrical shape, irregular edges, a darker colour or multiple colours and a rapid change (evolution).

Non-melanoma skin cancers are generally speaking low-grade skin cancers that tend to remain localised to the skin and not spread elsewhere. They do grow however, and if not treated they can damage the skin and adjacent structures.The commonest type is a basal cell carcinoma also known as a ‘rodent ulcer’. Typically , they present as red or pink patches or lumps on the skin with vessels that may scab and do not go away or heal.

If you have been diagnosed with a melanoma, your dermatologist will discuss this in more detail. If further treatment is needed and cannot be undertaken privately, your Dermatologist will inform your GP who will refer you onto the NHS for further management.