Most Moles Require No Treatment, But If Cancerous, They Must Be Removed

Most treatments for moles are cosmetic, since most moles do not require medical treatment. However, atypical moles may become cancerous and then they (as well as some normal tissue around them) must be removed. Untreated, they can lead to malignant melanoma, a deadly form of skin cancer.

Cosmetic mole removal is usually a brief outpatient procedure and includes:

• Shave excision, numbing the area around a mole, then shaving it off close to the skin with a small blade.
• Punch biopsy, making a small incision with a small cookie-cutter-like device.
• Excisional surgery, cutting out the mole and a surrounding margin of healthy skin.