Everyone is born with at least a mole or two and as we grow older we tend to find more of them growing on our body.  There is a serious side to moles though and that is because they increase our chances of getting skin cancer, in particular melanoma.  So how can you find out if you need to start seriously considering mole removal?

Thankfully there is a 4 step process we can go through which can alert us to any warning signs for melanoma.  These steps are called the ABCD of melanoma detection.

Asymmetry

The first thing to check for is my mole growing in a symmetrical fashion?  This means that each half of the mole looks like the other.  If you don't it means you have an asymmetric mole and you should consult your local doctor immediately.

Border irregularity

The second thing to check for is does my mole have a nice, well defined border which is easy to see or is it all ragged, blurry, notched or irregular?  If it's not well defined you should see your doctor immediately.

Colour variation

Thirdly you are going to want to check the consistency of colour for your mole.  Ideally your mole will be the same uniform colour.  If it is inconsistent, or has shades of different colours this is a concern and you should see your doctor.  Also note here that having a really dark mole doesn't matter, it's all about checking for a consistent colour not how dark it is.

Diameter

And finally you want to check the size or diameter of your mole.  A typically safe mole will be under 5mm, anything over 6mm and you should see your doctor.  Also a mole will generally stay the same size, if you notice that a mole is growing this is something you would want to get check out also.

Summary

The seriousness of melanoma is something that you really want to talk to a doctor about and not just take the mole removal answers you read on the internet as the absolute truth.  Your health is something you don't want to mess around with.