Moles Q&A

What are moles?

Moles are skin lesions that are often darker in color than the surrounding skin. They vary in shape, size, and overall appearance and are sometimes a sign of cancer. The average person may have about 10-40 moles. See the Florida Dermatology Associates team if you have a mole you don’t like, looks suspicious, or changes its appearance. 

What do moles look like?

Moles could appear as

• Spots with hair in the middle
• Black, red, pink, brown, tan, or skin-colored lesions
• Spots with irregular borders
• Raised bumps
• Spots with dark dots in the middle

If you develop a mole that increases in size, contains multiple colors, scabs, is very large, bleeds, or itches, see your Florida Dermatology Associates provider for skin cancer screening.

What are the risk factors for moles?

Most people have multiple moles of varying sizes, colors, and shapes. Factors that boost your risk of having more moles include:

• Frequent sun exposure
• Older age
• Having fair skin
• Personal or family history of moles

Protect your skin from the sun’s damaging rays by using sunscreen or wearing protective clothing. Doing so is one of the best ways to prevent cancerous moles. 

How does my dermatologist diagnose moles?

Your Florida Dermatology Associates provider diagnoses moles after examining your skin and discussing your medical history. They may use a magnifying glass to get a better look at a potentially cancerous mole. Your dermatologist might remove part or all of a mole and send it to a lab for analysis.

How are moles treated?

Non-cancerous moles don’t require treatment, but you can still have them removed if they bother you or feel uncomfortable because of catching on clothing or jewelry. Your Florida Dermatology Associates specialist removes cancerous moles to lessen the chance of cancer spreading to other areas of your body.

The Florida Dermatology Associates team gets rid of moles using a variety of methods. They numb the treatment area and excise a mole from your skin, freeze it, shave a mole, or use a laser to remove it. Your specialist tailors each mole removal treatment to get rid of each mole in a safe way and minimize scarring. Your dermatologist stitches the area closed, if necessary.

Florida Dermatology Associates providers use cutting-edge Mohs surgery to remove skin cancer, layer by layer, to ensure it’s all gone. 

If you have unusual or unsightly moles, call one of the Florida Dermatology Associates offices or use the online scheduler today.