Moles are bad news – whether they’ve popped up on your body somewhere or in the middle of your lawn.  Those little brown spots on your body may be totally harmless, but can cause you plenty of stress if they catch on clothing or are visible.

If you’re of a certain age you may well remember the Jasper Carrot mole sketch where he had a lawn infested with moles.  He went to all kinds of lengths to get rid of them – from traps, to trying to catch them as they emerged – with all kinds of hilarious results.  He got so frustrated and angry that he finally resorted to lying in wait at night armed with a shotgun!

Remember that this was a comedy sketch, but the frustration caused by these little brown animals popping up unwanted resonated with anyone who had suffered from a similar infestation.  For many people the appearance of a skin mole on their body can generate the same level of stress – especially if the offending blemish is raised and catches on clothing.

Somehow moles and skin tags always seem to appear where they are the most infuriating – right where your bra strap or waistband catches, at the point where your shirt collar sits or under the arm where the seams on your shirts or tops rub.

They also infest the part of your face where, if you’re a man, you shave and cause all kinds of bloody problems (no, that’s not a profanity – it’s what happens when you catch a mole with a razor).

Women can sometimes camouflage a mole with make-up, but they’re often quite dark brown and take an awful lot of concealing.

Even skin tags are just as irritating, they are loose on the surface of the skin and, if they’re anywhere that’s exposed most people have a tendency to find their fingers keep going to the offending spot.

Are moles a health hazard?

The huge majority of moles are no danger at all, they’re just misformed skin cells.  However, if you have a mole that seems to be growing, changing in shape or size – or is an uneven shape it’s worth visiting your GP to get it checked out.

What happens when your GP has assured you there’s nothing to worry about – but you’re still stuck with this annoying mark, lump or tag?

Unless your GP believes it’s a medical issue most of them won’t do anything.  As long as it’s not harmful the NHS don’t treat things that are considered to be ‘cosmetic’.

What other options are there?

Removing moles and skin tags is really straightforward and available as a private medical treatment.  There are several ways of removal, depending on the type of growth it is.  The first step is to have your mole or skin tag examined.  If you’re looking for mole removal in or near Harpenden – or you’re anywhere in Hertfordshire and have skin tags – you’ll find Riverbanks Wellness® is convenient.

Once our doctor has taken a look at the offending mole or skin tag we’ll recommend a course of action.  The possible treatments are:

• Freezing to kill the cells until the mole withers and falls off
• Laser – an alternative means of killing the cells
• Shaving – some moles can be shaved down to skin level
• Minor surgery – a tiny incision under local anaesthetic will quickly remove the mole – and heals in a week or some with a tiny stitch or two.

We’ve done many skin tag removals for patients in Bedfordshire and mole removal treatments for patients in local towns like Luton and St Albans.  It’s all pretty simple, painless and quick.

If you have a mole or skin tag that’s annoying you and you want it gone, please book an online consultation here or download the app.