HomeHealth & beautyMole checksGetting it checked

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Mole checks Updated: 01 Sep 2009

Getting it checked

If you have any concerns about a mole - especially a mole that has just appeared or has changed - see your GP or a dermatologist. (They can also check for non-melanoma skin cancers and for pre-cancerous spots known as “solar keratoses”.)

It’s difficult to tell with the naked eye whether a mole is harmless or not. Your GP may decide to cut the mole out or refer you to a dermatologist. A dermoscope - a magnifying device - may be used to examine the mole’s structure, to help determine whether it is a melanoma.

If the mole is possibly cancerous, your GP or dermatologist will cut it out or do a biopsy and send the tissue sample to a laboratory for diagnosis. A confirmation of melanoma may mean further surgery: this will take a wider area of skin and underlying tissue, to make sure no melanoma cells are left in the area.

People at high risk of melanoma (see Who’s at risk?) may have to return for follow-up checks as often as every six months.

Making certain

Most moles are harmless and don’t need to be removed - unless you feel the mole is unsightly or gets in the way of your clothing, comb or razor.

A biopsy is the most accurate way of finding whether a mole is harmless or not. But biopsies are costly and they leave a scar; they also place a strain on health services. The more experienced the practitioner, the less likely you are to have an unnecessary biopsy.