Black Mole Removal

It is true, the color of a mole can sometimes be an indication of whether the mole is cancerous or not. However, it is a myth that black moles are the color that moles will be if they are cancerous.

This is not to say that black moles can not be cancerous, but it is no where near a sure sign of it. According to studies, moles that are cancerous more often have different colors in them.

Different shades of brown and black and perhaps even white would be a bigger sign of cancerous than if it is solid black, assuming that it has not changed color. Moles that are not malignant will often grow, change color, or larger than six millimeters in diameter are more dangerous than a solid black mole.

Black mole removal is done identical to the way other moles are removed if it is malignant. The first thing you should do is talk to your insurance company. Since a black mole removal is often viewed as cosmetic surgery, they may not be willing to pay for it. This can be frustrating if you learn this after you have already had the surgery performed.

The second thing would be to consult with a dermatologist. They will take a small skin biopsy of the black mole and put it underneath a microscope. Often they can determine if the mole is malignant or not immediately. If not, they will send it off to a lab for more testing. If it was quickly decided that it was malignant, the dermatologist may ask if you would like to go ahead and have it removed.

A black mole removal can be done using a few different methods. It can be done cutting it off, burning it off using electricity, or using a laser. While none of them sound fun, they are all done using general anesthetic and it is quite painless in the vast majority of cases.