Mole, Wart or Skin Tag: Which One Is It?
People often call every small spot or bump on the face a til. In fact there are three quite different things, and they are handled differently.
| Ordinary mole | Wart | Skin tag | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A cluster of pigment cells | A growth caused by a common skin virus | A small soft flap of skin |
| How it looks | Flat or raised, brown or black, smooth, even colour | Rough, grainy surface, skin coloured, may spread | Soft, hanging on a thin stalk, skin coloured or slightly dark |
| Where | Anywhere; many people are born with some | Face, hands, around the nails | Neck, eyelids, armpits, where skin rubs |
| Usual course | Stays the same for years | Can spread or go away on its own | Harmless, may slowly increase in number |
Flat brown patches on the cheeks (melasma, called mechhta) and freckles are different again. They are not moles, and the doctor will tell you which is which when he sees a clear photo.
Most Moles Need No Treatment
An ordinary mole that has looked the same for years is part of your skin, not a disease. It does not need medicine. If you dislike how a harmless mole looks, a skin specialist or surgeon can remove it in a small procedure and, when needed, send it to a laboratory to be checked. That is a cosmetic choice, not a medical necessity.
Warning Signs of a Dangerous Mole: ABCDE
Rarely, a mole can turn into melanoma, a serious skin cancer. It is far less common in brown skin than in fair skin, but when it happens it is often found late. Check your moles with this simple rule:
- A for Asymmetry: one half does not match the other.
- B for Border: the edge is ragged, notched or blurred.
- C for Colour: several shades of brown, black, red, white or blue in one mole.
- D for Diameter: wider than 6 mm, about the size of a pencil eraser.
- E for Evolving: it is changing in size, shape, colour or height.
- Also: bleeding without injury, itching, crusting, or a sore that does not heal.
If a mole shows any of these signs, or a new dark spot appears in adulthood and keeps growing, see a skin specialist (dermatologist) or surgeon promptly. This needs examination and possibly a biopsy, not homeopathy first. Please do not wait or try a home remedy.
Do Not Remove Moles at Home
Many products and videos promise to remove moles with acids, caustic pastes, garlic, lime, burning or cutting. On the face these can leave burns, infection and permanent scars. Worse, if the mole was a melanoma, destroying it at home removes the chance of a proper test and can delay the diagnosis.
- Do not pick, scratch, shave over or tie a thread around a mole, wart or skin tag.
- Do not apply acids, removal creams, lime or caustic pastes.
- Do not burn or cut it yourself.
- Do use sunscreen or shade outdoors, and take a dated photo of any mole you want to watch, so changes are easy to see.
What Homeopathy Is Used For Here
Patients most often come to us for warts and skin tags, especially when they keep spreading or coming back. In a consultation, Dr. Ismail looks at the growths and at you as a whole person: your skin type, tendency to sweat, chilliness, digestion, past illnesses and family history. A medicine, if one is suitable, is chosen from that whole picture. We cannot promise that any growth will go.
For an ordinary mole, the doctor will look at your photos, tell you honestly whether it looks like a plain mole, and advise you to see a dermatologist if anything about it is unusual. We do not prescribe with the promise of removing a mole. You can read more on our page about warts, corns and moles.
How the Online Consultation Works
- Take clear daylight photos of the spot, close up and from a little distance, with a coin or ruler beside it for size.
- Book at the booking page and pay the ৳300 fee by bKash to merchant number 01623829865.
- Dr. Ismail calls you by WhatsApp video and asks about the growths and your general health.
- If a medicine is suitable, it is dispatched from our own pharmacy: ৳200 to ৳1,000 depending on the treatment, cash on delivery to all 64 districts. Follow-up within 2 weeks for the same treatment is free.
Consultation hours are Sunday to Thursday 7 PM to 10 PM, and Friday 11 AM to 12 PM and 7 PM to 10 PM. Saturday is closed. We work online only.
If you take medicines for diabetes, blood pressure, heart disease, epilepsy, thyroid or mental health, do not stop them suddenly or on your own. Dr. Ismail may advise carefully about reducing other conventional medicines.