Moles are such a common physical thing that most of the population does have them. In some cases, moles are looked at as desirable physical beauty marks that make a person's appearance unique. However, when a mole becomes more than a mole, with telltale traits that it has become cancerous, it can be a little scary. Moles that are cancerous, also known as malignant melanoma, are usually easily treated and removed to prevent the cancer from spreading. But if you are the one facing skin cancer treatments, you are probably a little nervous. Here are a few of the most common concerns about treating cancerous moles and the facts you should know. 

How will the cancerous mole be treated?

There are actually a number of different ways a cancerous mole can be treated, and it will depend on the severity of the problem just what the doctor chooses as your treatment plan. In most cases, a cancerous mole will be removed, along with any surrounding tissue that is found to have cancerous cells present. Because moles are relatively small most of the time, this is a fairly quick procedure that many dermatologists do right in their exam rooms as an outpatient procedure. 

While cutting the mole out of the skin is the most common treatment, there are other forms of treatment a medical provider may recommend. Direct radiation to the cancerous mole can be used to kill cancer cells if removing the mole would be risky or leave a major scar. Chemotherapy can be used for cancer relative to malignant melanoma, but this is usually only the case if the cancer has spread further than just in the mole itself. 

What is the recovery process like after cancerous mole removal?

Cancerous mole removal does not tend to require a long recovery process. In most cases, you will go home from the hospital the same day even if your mole removal requires surgery in a hospital setting. The opening where the mole was removed will be stitched closed if necessary, and the site will most often heal well without a lot of additional care. The site of mole removal will be sore, and sometimes itchy, as the wound heals.

It is important that you do attend follow up appointments because the medical practitioner will be checking for proper healing and to ensure all cancer was removed during the procedure. In some situations, further biopsies and tests will be conducted to ensure the cancer has been eradicated.