Moles

Moles are most commonly known as the small, dark brown spots that appear all over the face and body. Most moles occur in early teenage years or early adulthood and the average person has between 10-40 moles on their body, which may change in appearance over time or fade away. Moles grow when skin cells grow in a cluster, rather than being spread throughout the skin. These clusters are called “melanocytes” which create the pigments that are responsible for your natural skin colour. The moles often appear in a dark brown shade and may darken further in colour after sun exposure or during pregnancy.

Whilst the majority of moles are not harmful, some may be malignant which can lead to skin cancer if left untreated. It is important to monitor your moles and if they change in colour, shape or texture over time, get them checked out by your GP. If you have moles, it is important to avoid excessive exposure to the sun and try to cover the areas where the moles are if possible. It is also vital to wear SPF when outside all throughout the year to avoid the risk of the moles changing.

Moles can often appear in places on the face or body that you do not like. Although moles are mainly harmless and nothing to worry about, they can be easily removed if their appearance is affecting your confidence. If you are unhappy with the appearance of your moles, we can use our Cryopen treatment to painlessly remove them through the use of cryotherapy (extreme cold). This treatment allows us to remove the mole effectively, leaving no scarring or blemishes where the mole once was. To find out more, visit our Cryopen information page here.