Chances are good that you have at least one mole somewhere on your body—most people do. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) says that about one in 100 people are born with at least one congenital mole, while the average person develops about 10 to 20 acquired moles in their lifetime, depending on the fairness of their skin.
For the most part, these moles are harmless, and can be removed if the person is bothered by them in any way (that can mean both physically or mentally). But sometimes, moles have to be removed if they’ve changed at all over time and a dermatologist is concerned about skin cancer.
Regardless of why a mole is removed, there’s more to it than just snipping it off with a pair of scissors (which, by the way, is something you should never do on your own). We’ve tapped two dermatologists who specialize in mole removal to walk you through why moles are often removed, how a physician will do it, and what to expect after. Here’s what to know
