Moles are benign skin tumors.
When a dermatologist talks about moles, they usually refer specifically to pigmented moles, meaning colored moles. When ruling out melanoma, a mole check focuses particularly on pigmented moles.
Benign pigmented moles do not need to be removed. Removing benign moles also has no effect on the risk of melanoma. Only around 30% of melanomas develop in an existing mole. Most appear directly as a new skin change. Friction does not increase the risk of a mole becoming malignant, contrary to what was previously believed.
If a mole is removed because of an abnormality, it is usually removed surgically.
A pathologist confirms the diagnosis by examining the mole under a microscope. A mole identified as benign, especially a typical protruding mole, can also be removed with a laser for functional or aesthetic reasons.