You found a new spot or bump on your skin and want to know if it is harmless. Here is how to sort that out.
Most small growths on the skin are harmless moles or skin tags. A mole is a flat or raised spot made of pigment cells, usually brown or tan. A skin tag is a soft flap of skin, often the same colour as the skin around it. A virus causes warts, which feel rough and often have small dark dots on the surface. The one that matters most is a mole that keeps changing. That is the one a doctor should see first.
Dr. Anali Dadgostar, MD, FRCSC, is the Medical Director at Yaletown Laser Centre in Vancouver, a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Canada, and an active staff surgeon at Richmond General Hospital.
Many people book removal of a mole or skin tag at Yaletown Laser Centre once a doctor confirms it is safe to treat.
If you have been checking a spot in the mirror trying to decide if it is new or if it looks different lately, you are not alone. Most people who notice a change are not sure if it matters enough to bring up. That uncertainty is normal, and there is a simple way through it.
What to know before you book
- A mole, a skin tag, and a wart are three different things, and they do not need the same next step.
- A doctor should check a mole that is changing in size, shape, or colour before anyone removes it.
- Skin tags are almost always harmless, so most people choose to remove them just for appearance.
- BC’s own rules treat cosmetic mole removal as an uninsured service, separate from a medically necessary assessment or biopsy.
- Book a check first if you are unsure. It is the one step that tells you what happens next.
What is the difference between a mole, a skin tag, and a wart?
A mole comes from a cluster of pigment cells and is usually brown, tan, or black. Most moles are round or oval, and flat or slightly raised. Most stay under 6 millimetres across, about the size of a pencil eraser.
A skin tag is soft tissue that hangs off the skin. It often grows on the neck, underarms, or eyelids. It is usually the same colour as the skin around it.
A virus causes warts. They feel rough, often have a bumpy texture, and can show tiny dark dots on the surface.
| Feature | Mole | Skin Tag | Wart |
| Texture | Flat or slightly raised | Soft, hangs off the skin | Rough, bumpy |
| Colour | Brown, tan, or black | Same as surrounding skin | Skin-toned or greyish |
| Cause | Pigment cell cluster | Loose connective tissue | Virus |
| Contagious | No | No | Yes |
None of these three is dangerous on its own. Dr. Anali Dadgostar’s background is part of why Yaletown Laser Centre treats that distinction carefully rather than as a routine cosmetic request. She is a fellowship-trained facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon and an active staff surgeon at Richmond General Hospital, and she oversees how the clinic delivers this service.
Which features mean a mole should be checked, not just removed?
Doctors use five signs to flag a mole for a closer look, often called the ABCDE rule. Asymmetry means one half does not match the other. An irregular border means the edge looks jagged or blurred instead of smooth. Uneven colour means more than one shade shows in the same spot. A diameter over 6 millimetres is one thing to note, though smaller spots can still matter. Evolving means any change in size, shape, colour, or feeling, including new itching or bleeding.
There is also a simpler version of this idea. A spot that looks different from all your other moles, sometimes called the odd one out, is worth a second look even if it does not clearly fit the letters above.
Any one of these signs means a doctor should look at the mole before anyone removes it for appearance. This is not the same as a diagnosis. Only an in-person exam can tell you what a spot actually is. A mole that has stayed the same for years is far less likely to need this step, especially with even colour and a smooth edge.
Can a medspa remove something that has not been checked first?
Removing a lesion without knowing what it is puts the wrong thing first. At Yaletown Laser Centre, a mole with any of the features above gets a referral for a doctor’s assessment before removal, rather than routine cosmetic treatment. That standard follows from the same surgical background described above, not a separate policy invented for marketing.
Skin tags and moles with none of the warning features are usually straightforward to remove for comfort or appearance. That decision still starts with a look, not a booking.
What assessment and removal actually involves in Vancouver
A first visit starts with a physician looking at the spot in person. Photos and descriptions cannot replace this step, since colour and texture are hard to judge any other way.
If the mole shows any concerning features, the next step is a referral. A family doctor refers you for a dermatology assessment. Our broader look at how Vancouver’s climate affects your skin covers the sun exposure behind a lot of these changes in the first place, even on cloudy days when it does not feel like sun exposure is the problem.
BC’s own rules are clear on this point. The province treats cosmetic surgery, and other services that are not medically required, as uninsured. Cosmetic mole removal falls under that rule, so patients pay for it directly. A biopsy for a suspicious mole is different. When a doctor orders one for medical reasons, it is a covered benefit, and the lab sends the tissue for pathology at no direct cost to the patient.
Once a doctor confirms a spot is safe to treat, removal itself is usually quick. Most skin tags and low-risk moles come off in a single short visit, using local numbing first. Healing generally takes one to two weeks, depending on the size and location of the spot.
Expect a small scab during that time. Avoid picking at it so the skin underneath can close properly. Sun protection matters just as much during healing as it does beforehand, since a fresh spot is more sensitive to UV light than the skin around it, and sunscreen over the area helps it fade evenly.
Getting your skin checked in Vancouver
If a spot has been on your mind for a while, waiting rarely makes the decision easier. A short visit either clears it for removal or points you toward the right kind of follow-up, and either answer is better than another few months of wondering about it.
Yaletown Laser Centre sits at 1010 Mainland Street in Vancouver’s Yaletown area. The clinic offers assessment and removal of moles, skin tags, and other lumps and bumps. Dr. Anali Dadgostar provides medical direction for this service, and her surgical background is exactly why the clinic checks first. Book a consultation to have a doctor look at the spot properly before you decide anything. Call 604-331-1777 today.
