What should you know about dark moles on skin?

Moles may be flat or raised and can range from tan to deep brown. Colour alone cannot identify what a spot is. Pay attention to change in size, shape, border, colour, surface, or sensation, and compare the spot with your other moles. A mole that stands out as different, develops a new crust, bleeds, or becomes persistently itchy merits a clinical look. Do not diagnose a mole from a photograph or from darkness alone.

Take a clear, dated photograph for comparison, avoid picking at the surface, and arrange a dermatology assessment for any concerning change. If removal is suitable, the clinician may discuss [Mole Removal](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/mole-removal/) or [Surgical Excision](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/excisional-surgery/). The tissue may need laboratory examination when the diagnosis is uncertain. Cosmetic removal should come after assessment, because shaving or treating an unexamined spot can make later evaluation harder.

Seek prompt dermatology review for a mole that is changing, asymmetrical, irregular at the edge, made of several colours, bleeding, crusting, painful, or persistently itchy. Arrange more urgent medical care if bleeding will not stop with gentle pressure or if there is rapidly spreading redness. A stable mole without symptoms can be checked routinely, especially if it is difficult to monitor.

What features make this spot reassuring or concerning? Should it be photographed, monitored, removed, or sampled? If it is removed, will the tissue be examined and what scar or aftercare should I expect?