Your skin’s mole may also be called a nevus or a beauty mark. Moles are very common, and usually most of them are benign. They do not cause pain, itch, or bleed and it is not communicable. A mole may continue to remain for up to 50 years. If you think a mole might be odd, consult a dermatologist or your usual healthcare provider.

Who will treat or manage your moles?

Your healthcare provider may refer you to a dermatologist or a skin specialist in Fort Worth. Fort Worth moles can be treated at Northstar Dermatology in Fort Worth. 

What causes skin moles?

Skin cells tend to cluster in one area of the skin rather than disperse evenly, which results in moles.

Melanocytes, which produce the pigment that gives your skin its unique color, make up the majority of moles.

Few facts about moles

  • Most moles can be inherited.
  • People with the same type of skin who were reared in areas with relatively limited sun exposure tend to have fewer moles than those raised in sunny environment.
  • Moles are not sun spots, which may result from a severe sunburn.
  • The majority of moles are quite safe. Rarely, they may progress into malignant melanoma, an aggressive form of skin cancer.

Check your moles frequently for texture and appearance changes if you have them. 

Treatment

The majority of moles are non-cancerous and generally do not require treatment. Treatment is needed only when:

  1. The mole may be a melanoma.
  2. It is annoying when it gets tangled up in garments or the patient has trouble shaving.

A mole is removed in several ways:

  • Shave excision

After numbing the nearby area, a tiny blade cuts around and under the mole. A method frequently employed for tiny moles. No stitches or sutures are required.

  • Excisional surgery

Using a certain scalpel or punch tool removes the mole and a margin of healthy skin. Stitches may be necessary.

A straightforward surgical procedure removes the mole if the melanoma is found in its very early stages when it is still thin and has not migrated downward from the skin’s surface and can spread to many other parts of the body.

A safety margin of good skin will be removed if found later. The patient will need additional treatment if the cancer has spread to other body places as tumors through the lymphatic or blood systems. 

Consult Northstar Dermatology in Fort Worth if you ever need a treatment for moles.