Assessment and removal of moles

When should a mole be checked?

• Change in size, shape or colour.
• Irregular borders or uneven pigmentation (ABCDE rule).
• Itching, bleeding or scaling.
• New mole appearing after age 30.
• Family history of melanoma.
• Warning signs without pigment: a skin sore that does not heal, a lump that grows, or an area that bleeds repeatedly.

We cannot assess a skin lesion from a photo

Please do not email pictures of skin lesions, and do not expect an assessment without an appointment. A pigmented lesion needs to be seen in good light and with magnification, and often the skin has to be felt and the rest of the skin reviewed. Call the clinic and we will arrange for a doctor to look at it.

How is the mole removed?

Removal is performed in our clinic's operating room under local anaesthesia. The mole is excised in full with a small margin of healthy skin, and the wound is closed with sutures that are removed after 7–14 days. The procedure takes 15–30 minutes.

Histological examination

The removed mole is sent for microscopic examination when relevant. At sampling you receive the applicable plan for results and follow-up; see also the guidance on tissue samples and results.

Scarring and cosmetic outcome

Surgical removal leaves a scar. Moles on the face should preferably be removed by a plastic surgeon to minimise scarring. Referral to a plastic surgeon may also be appropriate for very large moles or extensive skin lesions.

Suspicious moles belong in a work-up, not in cosmetic removal

If melanoma is clinically suspected, the lesion belongs with a dermatologist, a plastic surgeon or a hospital department under the Danish Health Authority cancer pathway for melanoma. We do not remove a suspicious pigmented lesion as a cosmetic procedure, because that can delay the diagnosis. If you are unsure, we will look at the lesion and help you into the right pathway.

Sources

• Malignant melanoma, Lægehåndbogen at sundhed.dk – ABCDE, excision and histological diagnosis.
• Naevi and other pigmented lesions, Lægehåndbogen at sundhed.dk – assessment and biopsy.
• Melanoma, Patienthåndbogen at sundhed.dk – warning signs and treatment.

Price and referral

If you are in health insurance group 1 and have a valid referral from your GP, the examinations and treatments covered by the clinic's public health agreement are covered by the Danish public health insurance, so you pay nothing for them yourself. If you are in health insurance group 2, different rules on referrals, subsidies and possible co-payments apply. The clinic does not offer private self-pay pathways. The clinic does not offer purely cosmetic treatment.