Prevention

Doctors remove many moles every day, but there is always one recurring theme that dermatologists tell people: Be aware of your body and any moles that have changed over time. This is especially true for moles that are dark or flat. Invariably, people will see doctors and be extremely concerned about raised, lightly colored moles, but they are not concerned about the dark, black, melanoma (skin cancer) next to the mole. This is truly important.

Additionally, it is imperative to stay out of the sun and wear sunscreen when you are outside. If you do go to your dermatologist for evaluation, be receptive to a full body mole screening because it is important to look over your entire body rather than ignore areas that you may not be able to inspect regularly.