Hadassah Dermatology Chief Warns Against Unsupervised Mole Removal Due to Melanoma Risks

Professor Vered Molcho Pesach, head of the dermatology department at Hadassah Medical Center, cautions that removing moles without a medical examination can lead to delayed melanoma diagnosis. In a recent interview on Channel 7's medical podcast, she explained how to identify suspicious skin lesions, highlighted recent technological advances, and debunked common myths in dermatology.

Molcho Pesach noted that new moles appearing up to around age 40 are usually normal, but rapid growth, irregular shapes, multiple colors, bleeding, or changes in older adults require urgent medical evaluation. She emphasized special attention for lesions on hands and feet. A major innovation at Hadassah is an AI-powered full-body skin mapping system that captures images in seconds and tracks lesion changes over time, enhancing early detection.

She also discussed breakthroughs in treating chronic skin diseases like atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, moving beyond traditional steroid creams to advanced therapies based on deeper understanding of disease mechanisms. Molcho Pesach strongly warned against mole removal by non-medical personnel or unqualified practitioners, citing cases where melanoma was missed after improper excision.

Regarding melanoma treatment, she explained that initial management involves surgical removal, sometimes with lymph node biopsies depending on pathology results. Despite advances in therapies that extend survival, she stressed that early diagnosis remains the most critical factor for successful outcomes.