Having a personal or family history of melanoma. If you've had melanoma before, you are at increased risk of a mole becoming cancerous. In addition, some types of atypical nevi lead to a genetic form of melanoma. Sardana K, Chakravarty P, Goel K. Optimal management of common acquired melanocytic nevi (moles): current perspectives. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2014;7:89-103. doi:10.2147/CCID.S57782

Fried-egg naevus is a compound naevus with a flat rim of pigment around a bumpy central portion – the bump can be lighter or darker than the pigmented rim. You should be able to go home very soon after your procedure. If you experience any pain following your mole removal, over the counter pain relief such as Paracetamol can be used. A flat mole may go unnoticed and not cause any problems. But there’s the risk of injury with a raised or elevated mole.Most non-cancerous moles are a single shade of brown, so if a mole is showing a number of colours this could be a warning sign. Diameter

Le Cleach L, Chosidow O. Lichen planus. N Engl J Med. 2012;366(8):723-32. doi:10.1056/nejmcp1103641 The Mole Scanning Service provides you with an assessment of moles and pigmented lesions you’re worried about, and can help to identify any that might be suspicious. Irregular moles (dysplastic or atypical naevi) are a sign that a person has an increased risk of developing melanoma and the risk increases with the number of moles a person has. Personal history of melanoma: People who have had melanoma have an increased risk of developing other melanomas.Avoid peak sun times. For many people in North America, the sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Try to schedule outdoor activities for other times of the day, even on cloudy days or in winter. When you are outdoors, seek shade or use a sun-protective umbrella.

People with many melanocytic naevi tend to have family members that also have many similar lesions. Kissing naevus: adjacent melanocytic naevi on upper and lower eyelids, due to naevus formation prior to separation of eyelids in utero. Of course, not all new, enlarged or changing moles will mean skin cancer. But you should keep an eye on them just in case.A combined naevus has two distinct types of mole within the same lesion – usually blue naevus and compound naevus. The consultant will diagnose the mole and confirm if biopsy is necessary and, if so, discuss the recommended procedure and costs, recovery, likely outcomes, risks and complications, to meet your expectations. Should you want a benign mole, cyst or other lesion removed for cosmetic reasons, you can book treatment with one of the leading consultant dermatologists, surgeons and doctors at sk:n. Wu S, Han J, Li WQ, Li T, Qureshi AA. Basal-cell carcinoma incidence and associated risk factors in U.S. women and men. Am J Epidemiol. 2013;178(6):890-7. doi:10.1093/aje/kwt073

Products containing a low concentration of benzoyl peroxide may be recommended, but be careful as this can bleach clothing. Diameter: Melanomas are usually larger than 6 millimeters (about the size of a pencil eraser), though they can be smaller. When a pimple forms underneath a mole, pain and irritation will go away once the pimple clears up. To help the pimple clear-up, practice good skin care habits to reduce new breakouts. Finding a melanoma as early as possible can mean it's easier to treat. What happens at the GP appointmentMoles that protrude from the skin can be ‘shaved’ off under local anaesthetic. A surgical blade is used to remove the mole down to slightly beneath the surface of the skin leaving a pink indent that should fade with time. Most people have moles. Only about one in a hundred persons has a mole or moles present at birth. These so called congenital melanocytic naevi are often bigger than acquired naevi (moles) that develop after birth. Moles typically appear in childhood and early teenage years, so that by the age of 15, Australian children have an average of more than 50 moles.