Moles & Warts Specialist

West Derm Center

Dermatology located in Bronx, NY, White Plains, NY, New Rochelle, NY & Yonkers, NY

Moles and warts are often a cosmetic problem, and sometimes turn into a medical concern. Moles can change and give rise to the most deadly form of skin cancer, while warts are highly contagious and, in some cases, painful. The experienced team at West Derm Center is available to evaluate and remove moles and warts in patients of all ages. They have locations in White Plains, New Rochelle, and Yonkers, New York, plus their locations in the Bronx in Pelham Gardens and Riverdale. To schedule an appointment, use the online booking feature or call one of their locations today.

Moles & Warts Q & A

What causes warts?

Warts are growths that develop when the human papillomavirus (HPV) gets into your skin through a small tear or sore. Warts are very contagious and often affect children and teens, who are more likely to come into contact with others who have the virus.

There are several types of warts. Common warts typically affect your hands and fingers, while plantar warts grow on the bottom of your feet. Flat warts are small but develop in clusters, so you may have 20-100 in a group on your face, arms, or legs. These are only a few examples of warts you may experience.

How does a dermatologist treat warts?

Warts may go away without treatment, but it can take a long time. Meanwhile, they affect your appearance and you can pass the virus to someone else. Your provider at West Derm Center may use one of the following treatments to remove your warts:

Cryotherapy
Cantharidin
Topical creams
Surgery
Pulsed-dye laser
Intralesional injection

Warts should be examined by the team at West Derm Center if they’re painful, their appearance changes, they spread, or they go away and return.

What should I know about moles?

Moles develop when melanocytes — the cells that give color to your skin — grow together in a cluster. Moles are usually dark, raised from the skin, and often harmless.

However, exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, whether from natural sunlight or a tanning bed, damages DNA inside the melanocytes. When that happens, the cells rapidly grow and turn into the most dangerous type of skin cancer: melanoma.

Like other types of skin cancer, melanoma is curable when it’s identified and treated early. Without treatment, however, it quickly spreads to other parts of the body, where it’s hard to treat and often leads to death.

When should a mole be removed?

The team at West Derm Center performs whole-body skin screenings, examining each mole for signs that the cells are cancerous.

Any change in a mole’s appearance is a red flag that it’s becoming cancerous. The border may become irregular, the mole may develop multiple colors (they should only be one color), or it may grow larger than the size of a pencil eraser.

When your provider finds changes in a mole, they remove it by surgical excision or surgical shave. Then the mole is examined under a microscope to look for cancer cells.

If you have bothersome warts or you’re concerned about moles, schedule an appointment online or call one of the West Derm Center offices today.

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