Moles are typically benign skin lesions. They are made up of a high concentration of melanocytes – cells that produce melanin (pigment). Moles are usually brown, black, or blue in colour, but can also be skin-coloured. A mole can appear anywhere on the skin, alone or clustered. Most moles appear in the first 20-25 years of life and it is not uncommon for adults to have anywhere between 10-40 moles. Potential reasons for the growth of moles on the skin include excessive UV exposure, fluctuations in hormonal levels, ageing, genetics, and injury. Although moles may be undesirable from a cosmetic standpoint, they are functionally benign and typically pose no health risk.

Skin tags usually appear as small pieces of skin protruding out from the body on a thin stem. These lesions are commonly found on the chest, back, armpits, neck, under the breasts, and in the groin area. They appear most frequently in female and older patients. The cause of skin tags is not known, but they are typically harmless and pose no threats to health.