Skin lesions are excised (removed) in an attempt to fully remove skin lesions such as moles, cysts, lipomas (fatty lumps) and skin cancers. Most lesions are benign (noncancerous) but you may want to have them removed due to them being painful or unsightly. The removal of benign lesions is considered to be a cosmetic procedure and not covered by Medicare for excision and pathology testing. It is a matter of personal choice whether you choose to have your lesion removed or not. Surgery however is recommended to remove cancerous skin lesions or to diagnose the cause of the lesion.
Moles are common skin growths. You probably have more than one on your face and body. Most people have 10 to 40 moles somewhere on their skin.
Most moles are harmless and nothing to worry about. You don’t need to remove a mole unless it bothers you. But if you don’t like the way it affects your appearance, or if it’s getting irritated from rubbing against your clothes, removing the mole is an option.
The moles you absolutely need to consider removing are ones that have significantly changed. Any differences in a mole’s colour, size, or shape could be a warning sign of skin cancer.