Mole Removal Surgery (£285)*

What Is A Mole?

Picture of a benign mole that can be removed at Thames Valley Surgical Services
Picture of a benign mole

What Are Moles?

The term mole is very widely used and includes very easy to remove skin tags as well as soft naevuses and other skin lesions. Commonly, moles are darker than the surrounding skin  Classically, Moles are small patches on the skin, which can be flat or raised, that form due to collections of cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes produce the colour (pigment) in your skin. The scientific name for moles is melanocytic naevi.

Moles are often a brownish colour, although some may be darker or skin-coloured. They can be flat or raised, smooth or rough, and some have hair growing from them. Moles are usually circular or oval with a smooth edge.

Moles can change in number and appearance. Some fade away over time, often without you realising. They also sometimes respond to hormonal changes, for example during:

  • pregnancy – when they may get slightly darker
  • teenage years – when they increase in number
  • older age – when they may disappear from 40 to 50 years of age onwards

When Do Moles Develop?

Some moles are present at birth, however most moles develop during the first 25 – 30 years of life. People with fair skin often have more moles than people with darker skin. Most moles have a genetic cause and are inherited, this is often the case with people who have a lot of moles. Where you were brought up may also make a difference, for example, if you have spent a lot of time in the sun, you may have an increased number of small moles.