Skin lesions can be caused by a wide variety of factors, depending on the type of lesion. Some of the most common skin lesions can be hereditary, like moles and birthmarks. Moles form when melanocytes, skin cells that produce melanin, grow in clusters.

While many skin lesions are completely harmless, others can be cause for concern, especially those that can become cancerous. If you have a mole or skin lesion that is changing quickly, or is irregular in pigment and borders, it will require a medical assessment by one of our physicians.

A referral is required from your family physician or a walk in physician for assessment by one of the physicians at Shine MD. Abnormal appearing moles will be removed as a medical biopsy and sent for pathology assessment. This is a covered benefit by the Medical Services Plan of British Columbia. Moles that are deemed to be benign with no worrisome features can be removed by our physicians.

Some common forms of skin lesions include:

• Moles can occur anywhere on the body, and many moles are harmless. However, moles that grow in size or change shape or color should be examined by a physician. Moles can also be cause for concern if they start to itch, flake, or bleed.
• Skin tags can appear anywhere on the body, and look like small flaps of excess skin that are attached to the skin by a thin stalk. These lesions are usually harmless.
• Seborrheic keratoses are common lesions that can appear flat or raised and have a waxy or scaly texture. These lesions are more likely to develop as you get older.
• Sebaceous hyperplasia is a condition that causes small, skin-toned bumps on the skin. They occur when sebum gets trapped under the skin, enlarging the skin glands. These lesions are harmless but can be aesthetically bothersome. While these lesions are easily treated with Erbium Laser, sebaceous hyperplasia is a recurring issue and lesions may not resolve with a single laser treatment.