Question: can you get cancer if you pick a mole

Helen Gath answered on 18 Jun 2014:

Moles on the skin could be there since birth, and are in no way harmful to you. The only reason they appear is that the skin cells have grown in a in that small area, rather than an even distribution like the rest of your skin. If you damage it, the cells should repair themselves normally like any other skin cell.s However, doctors do advise people to be very careful about moles and get them checked, as they could potentially become cancerous.

Why would they become cancerous? The most common reason is over-exposure to the sun. The sun’s powerful rays can damage the skin cells, and instead of growing back normally, they mutate. This can make the skin cells grows unusually quickly, resulting in an even larger cluster of cells called a tumour.

Whilst damaging a mole is unlikely to cause cancer, from a medical perspective I would always safe it’s better to be careful. Pick your nose instead ; p