Mole Removal

Benign moles are perfectly natural. The average young adult may have between 10 and 30 moles and they are unlikely to develop into anything more serious.

If your moles are causing a nuisance, making you anxious or are in a prominent place that makes you feel self-conscious, you can have your moles removed.

IPSA can offer you quick and easy access to doctors with a special interest in skin. Following a thorough examination to rule out anything more severe, your doctor will advise you whether the mole can be removed. This will depend on its size and appearance.

We will take a map of your moles to ensure that they are all benign. If your mole has any features that suggest you may have malignant melanoma, or skin cancer, we’ll remove it for further examination.

We will advise you of the best options for removing the mole with maximum effectiveness, leaving you with minimum scarring. We can remove the moles during the consultation and will provide you with thorough aftercare advice.

Your IPSA doctor will then send the mole off for further testing if there is any suspicion that it is malignant.

If you would like a doctor to examine your moles, contact IPSA for a skin consultation[S2] .

Mole Removal

The procedure to remove a mole is called an excision biopsy. You will be given a local anaesthetic and the process takes just a few minutes.

The skin removed is shaped like an eye so that when the affected area is stitched closed, it will leave a straight scar. The size of the scar is relative to the size of the mole. So if you have a 7mm mole excised, you will probably end up with a 2cm scar.

If your mole was sent off for testing and malignant melanoma is found, you will usually be advised to have a wider excision of the skin around the original biopsy area.

If you have symptoms such as itchiness, soreness or bleeding, always get the mole checked with a skin specialist.

Be aware of changes to the mole such as a change in shape, diameter or thickness, or if it has an irregular outline or the colour changes.

The size of your mole is significant. Small moles where the diameter is less than 7mm, or the equivalent of the base of a pencil, are thought to carry very low risk.

If you have any concerns about a mole that has changed in size or shape, contact IPSA for help, or speak to your local health care provider.