Moles are extremely common type of skin growths for people with light skin. People who have light skin tend to have around 10 to 40 moles, according to American Academy of Dermatology. Although there's several types of moles, but what most adults have is referred to as a common mole. Other types of moles are named as atypical moles, congenital moles, spitz nevus, and acquired moles.
Photo by Marco Verch (licensed)
If you or your family members have a history of skin cancer, it is very important to get the screening done by a dermatologist before you decide to remove the mole at home. This might be the only way to know for sure if the skin growth that you have is a harmless mole or a cancerous one.
Some common signs are:
If you want to get rid of the mole solely for cosmetic reasons, your insurance company most likely won't cover it and you'd have to pay the doctor's bill in full from your pocket. However, if the mole that you have poses a health risk such as the mole being cancerous or infectious, then the insurance company is most likely going to cover it. So it is important to get the initial diagnosis first before you take the next step of removing the mole at home.
Costs for mole removal may vary a lot as there are several factors involved such as the size, shape, and number of moles that you want removed. The range is usually from $200-$2,000 for each mole. That's right, this is how much it may end up costing if you want to get the mole removed for cosmetic reasons.
Although the home remedies are not backed by science but there are some natural remedies that are used by a lot of people to remove moles. Especially when the insurance does not cover the mole removal process. Some of the common ones are:
Never use home remedies such as clipping or shaving the mole off. It can lead to severe bleeding and serious infection. If you are not sure about the type of mole that you have, you should always consider seeing your doctor first to find out if the mole is just a common skin growth which can be taken off by home remedies, or if it is something serious like melanoma and cancer.