Moles are a common skin growth and usually harmless. However, new or changing moles may be a sign of melanoma, a serious and deadly type of skin cancer. The experienced team at Thomas Dermatology provides comprehensive skin examinations to identify and treat suspicious moles at their two locations in Las Vegas and one in Henderson, Nevada, as well as offices in Bullhead City, Kingman, and Lake Havasu City, Arizona. To schedule an evaluation, call the office nearest you or book an appointment online today.
Moles are benign skin growths that occur when your pigment-producing cells — melanocytes — grow in clusters.
Moles are common and generally appear during the first three decades of life. These skin growths may appear anywhere on the body, including areas of your skin not exposed to the sun.
Though moles vary in size, shape, and color, most are round and have a uniform color throughout. They may be flat or raised and generally stay the same over time.
Most moles are benign. However, when you develop new moles, or your mole changes shape or color, then you might have a suspicious mole.
Suspicious moles may be signs of melanoma, which is a fast-growing and potentially deadly type of skin cancer. When evaluating your suspicious-looking moles, the Thomas Dermatology team uses the ABCDE guide.
ABCDE stands for:
If you have a suspicious mole that has any of these features, schedule a skin examination at Thomas Dermatology right away.
When you visit Thomas Dermatology for an evaluation of your moles, you can expect a comprehensive and detailed exam. During your visit, your provider closely examines your skin from head to toe.
They take detailed notes of your skin and moles, looking for skin growths that may be of concern. Your provider also teaches you how to perform a self-skin exam at home and the measures you can take to protect your skin to reduce your risk of developing skin cancer.
The Thomas Dermatology team removes moles you don’t like, as well as suspicious-looking moles, at the office. Depending on the size of your mole, the team may schedule one or two office visits for removal.
The team removes moles by surgical excision or shaving. After removing your mole, your provider sends the growth to the on-site pathology lab for evaluation. The lab experts can determine if your mole is cancerous or not.
If your mole is benign, the team has you come in once a year for a skin examination. For cancerous moles, the team may perform additional procedures to remove as much of the cancerous tissue as possible.
The practice also provides radiation oncology, which is a non-surgical treatment for certain types of cancerous lesions.
Moles are common and not usually harmful. However, if you have moles that concern you, call Thomas Dermatology or schedule a consultation online today.