Dear Reader,

Alice will assume you're referring to noncancerous, or benign, moles on the skin. Pre-cancerous and malignant moles, of course, need to be removed. As for benign moles... yes, they can be removed too. However, this procedure is purely cosmetic.

Most dermatologists can perform cosmetic mole removals. The procedure involves shaving the mole off. (It sounds simple, and is for the most part — however, Alice doesn't wish to give the impression that you can do this at home with a razor blade. If you want to get rid of a mole, you'll need to see a dermatologist.) After removing the mole, a sample is sent to a lab in order to make sure that it is not cancerous. In the majority of cases, only one office visit is required to have a mole removed, plus a follow-up visit.

There is no medical basis for the removal, or treatment of any kind, of noncancerous moles. In fact, they are a common part of the landscape of adult skin. On average, adults have between 15 - 20 moles on their bodies. But if you don't like the way they look, you can have them removed!

Most moles do not pose any sort of health risk. A note of caution: if you notice any changes in the shape, size, and/or color of a mole, or if a mole starts to bleed, you need to have it looked at by a health care provider right away. For more information on cancerous moles, read Mole — melanoma?, under Alice's General Health archives.

Alice

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