Mole Removal and Skin Tags Removal
Both mole removal and skin tags removal are done for a variety of reasons by cutting, with or without stitches.
Skin tags – Skin tags are small benign tumors that form mostly in areas where the skin forms creases. For instance, they may occur on the neck, armpit, and groin, and also on the face, usually on the eyelids. Skin tags are harmless, typically painless, and usually do not grow or change over time.
Mole removal – Moles, or nevi, are skin growths that contain a high concentration of melanin, and are typically brown or black.
Many people refer to a mole as any dark spot or irregularity in the skin. Doctors use different terms. We are not discussing the following types of skin marks. We cannot treat them the same way as we treat moles.
- Birthmarks
- Hemangiomas, which are abnormal formations of blood vessels
- Keratoses, which are benign or precancerous spots that appear after about age 30
What causes moles?
- Some people are born with moles. Other moles appear over time.
- Sun exposure seems to play a role in the development of moles and may play a role in the development of atypical, or dysplastic, moles.
- We cannot overemphasize the role of heredity. Many families have dysplastic moles, moles that are larger and more irregular in shape than the average mole (size usually bigger than a pencil eraser). They tend to have uneven color with dark brown centers and lighter, uneven edges. Dysplastic moles may indicate a higher frequency of melanoma or skin cancer.
