A mole is an overgrowth of pigment cells in the skin. They may be dark in colour or the same colour as the surrounding skin. There was a time when they could only be treated surgically. This involved the mole being cut out of the skin and the procedure often left scarring that was worse than the mole. Before we can answer the question as to whether you should have the mole removed or treated we need to look at what exactly a mole is and why you would want to have it removed or treated.
Today we can treat moles non surgically using diathermy. Notice I say we can “treat” moles rather than remove them. So what’s the difference between treatment and removal? Both mole treatment and mole removal should result in it no longer being visible.
Mole removal involves the mole being surgically cut from the skin. It may be raised above the skin or flat but it will also extend below the surface of the skin. Mole treatment involves the mole being cauterised using diathermy so that it is no longer visible. This is an important distinction because technically the mole is still there, it’s just that you can’t see it any more. There are two reasons that it is no longer visible after being treated with diathermy. Firstly the diathermy technique can be used to level the mole if it is raised. In other words once treated the skin will be flat and level with the surrounding skin. Secondly the mole is made up of normal skin cells and cells called melanocytes. These melanocytes are responsible for producing melanin, the dark pigment in our skin. The reason moles are often dark is because the mole contains a large proportion of this type of cell. Diathermy reduces or even completely eliminates the melanocyte cells in the mole therefore the mole loses it’s dark colouration.
So which method is best? Well it depends upon your reason for wanting the mole gone. If the reasons are purely cosmetic then diathermy may be the best solution. Surgery can as I have already said leave scars so if the mole problem is purely cosmetic then diathermy may be a better option in this case. However there are some cases when surgical removal is the only option you should look at. If there are any signs of malignancy then it should be removed surgically. If your doctor suspects the mole is cancerous then surgical removal will be accompanied by histopathological examination of a sample of the mole (examination under microscope looking in particular for cancer cells).
If you are considering getting rid of a mole your GP should be your first port of call. Your GP will be able to tell by looking at it and asking a few questions whether it is safe to treat it cosmetically using diathermy or whether it needs removing and screening for cancer. Generally moles that get darker, itch, bleed or are irregular in shape are suspect and your GP may refer you to a dermatologist for further investigation. However, some irregular moles may not be moles at all. Seborrhoeic keratosis (also called Seborrhoeic Warts or senile warts) are often mistaken for moles but they are not in any way related. Seborheic keratosis affects the top epidermal layer of the skin and is completely benign and easily removed using diathermy.