Why get your moles checked?
Skin cancer is the most common human cancer — and one with the best prognosis when caught early. The most frequent type, basal cell carcinoma, grows slowly and rarely spreads; caught early, it is resolved with an in-office operation. Caught late, it demands wider excisions and more complex reconstruction. The difference between the two scenarios is usually, quite literally, a check-up that kept being postponed.
In a sunny city at 2,100 metres of altitude like Puebla, accumulated ultraviolet radiation does its slow work over decades. Periodic checks matter most after 40, in fair skin, in anyone who works or worked outdoors, and with a family history — but no skin is exempt.
The ABCDE rule: what to watch in a mole
The ABCDE rule summarises the signs that justify a medical check. It is not a self-diagnosis tool — it is a tool for deciding when to consult:
- A — Asymmetry: one half of the mole does not match the other.
- B — Border: irregular, notched, poorly defined or blurred edges.
- C — Colour: several tones within the same lesion (brown, black, reddish, bluish, white areas).
- D — Diameter: larger than 6 mm (a pencil eraser), though smaller malignant lesions exist.
- E — Evolution: the most important sign. Any change in size, shape, colour or elevation, or a mole that itches, becomes inflamed or bleeds.
Signs that deserve a consultation without delay
Beyond ABCDE, some signs justify moving the appointment up: a wound that does not heal within weeks, a lesion that bleeds without cause or repeatedly, a slowly growing pearly bump on the face, ears or neck, a new fast-appearing spot after 40, or a mole that suddenly feels different — raised, hardened, itchy. None of these signs equals a diagnosis; all of them equal a consultation.
What does the check involve?
Screening is dermatologic and non-invasive. The skin is examined completely — including the areas you cannot see yourself: back, scalp, behind the ears, soles of the feet — and lesions of interest are examined with dermoscopy, a magnifying lens with polarised light that reveals pigment structures invisible to the naked eye. With that, most lesions are classified on the spot: benign ones to monitor, or suspicious ones that require study.
When a lesion is suspicious, the next step is a biopsy: a sample (or the whole lesion, depending on the case) is taken and sent for pathology. It is the pathologist — not the eye, however expert — who gives the definitive diagnosis. Nothing here is removed "to see how it turns out" without sending the specimen to pathology: that study is mandatory, always.
If confirmed: surgery and reconstruction under one roof
Here is this clinic’s practical difference, and the reason a team that includes a surgeon writes this page: detection is dermatologic; the solution, when needed, is surgical. A positive diagnosis means excising with safety margins, confirming with pathology that no tumour remains, and reconstructing the defect — especially on the face, where every millimetre of skin counts.
That second stage is the ground of Dr. Arístides Arellano, plastic and reconstructive surgeon: mole and lesion excision, basal cell carcinoma surgery and, when the defect requires it, reconstructive grafts and flaps. The patient does not leave one clinic holding a referral note to go find a surgeon: the path continues in the same building, with the same file.
For melanoma and other tumours requiring oncologic management, the clinic does what a serious institution should: it diagnoses, orients and refers to the appropriate multidisciplinary care, without holding on to the patient.
Who performs each part? (the honest question)
The check and dermatologic follow-up belong to the clinic’s dermatology consultation, founded in 1971 by dermatologist Dr. Francisco Arellano Ocampo. The surgery — excision, margins, reconstruction — is performed by Dr. Arístides Arellano Huacuja, plastic and reconstructive surgeon (not a dermatologist: his specialty licence 0002008 is in plastic surgery, and on this site everyone appears under the specialty they actually hold). Second generation of the same house, directing it today. To better understand which specialist fits which skin problem, read the guide dermatologist or plastic surgeon?.
Dr. Arístides Arellano is a plastic surgeon holding a specialty licence: he practises under a Mexican medical licence (D.G.P. 1125959) and a specialty licence in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (0002008), both issued by the Directorate General of Professions (DGP), which reissued his certificate of professional standing in 2025. His career began before Mexico’s present-day specialty-board system existed: he belongs to the founding generation of plastic surgery in Puebla, the second generation of a surgical tradition started in 1971 by Dr. Francisco Arellano Ocampo. Trust is verified, not promised: both licences are public and anyone can look them up in the DGP’s National Registry of Professionals.
Risks and expectations
A normal check is a snapshot in time, not a permanent guarantee: skin remains exposed and new lesions appear, so periodic checks and monthly self-examination remain necessary. Dermoscopy classifies with high reliability, but the definitive diagnosis of a suspicious lesion is always histopathologic (biopsy). No result is guaranteed and findings vary from person to person.
What does the check cost?
The cost of the screening consultation is confirmed when you book. If the check leads to a biopsy or surgery, its cost is defined at the consultation, in writing and before any procedure is performed. See the price list for surgical procedures.
Trust is verified, not promised. All 210 scanned documents —degree, licences, diplomas, publications and certificates, from 1977 to 2025— are open in Dr. Arístides Arellano’s credential archive, alongside an explanation of the difference between a specialty licence and a board certification.
Patient pathway · from check-up to follow-up
- The check (30–40 min)Full-skin examination and dermoscopy of lesions of interest. Painless, non-invasive, no preparation required.
- If everything is benignLesions to monitor are recorded and the interval to the next check is set according to your phototype, history and findings.
- If a lesion is suspiciousBiopsy (or complete excision with margins, depending on the case) and submission for pathology. Results take a few days.
- If the result confirms malignancySurgery with safety margins by the plastic surgeon and reconstruction of the defect where required — at the same clinic. Cases requiring oncologic management are referred to the appropriate multidisciplinary team.
- Follow-up (always)Periodic checks and monthly self-examination with the ABCDE rule. Surveillance does not end with one normal check: it is a habit, like daily photoprotection.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get a mole check in Puebla?
At the Clínica Dermatológica y Cirugía Estética de Puebla, operating since 1971. The check includes a full-skin examination and dermoscopy, and if a lesion requires biopsy or surgery, both are resolved at the same clinic: excision and reconstruction are performed by plastic surgeon Dr. Arístides Arellano.
How often should I have my moles checked?
It depends on your phototype, sun-exposure history, family history and the findings of the first check. As a general reference, a yearly check is reasonable from age 40, earlier with risk factors or lesions under surveillance. The exact interval is set at your first consultation.
Does the check hurt or leave marks?
No. The examination and dermoscopy are completely non-invasive: a visual inspection with a magnifying lens and polarised light. Only if a lesion is suspicious is a biopsy proposed — a minor procedure under local anaesthesia.
What happens if something suspicious is found?
A biopsy is taken and sent for pathology, which gives the definitive diagnosis. If skin cancer is confirmed, excision with margins and reconstruction are performed at the same clinic; cases requiring oncologic management, such as melanoma, are referred to the appropriate multidisciplinary team.
Is skin cancer curable?
The most frequent types — basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma — have very high cure rates when detected and excised early with adequate margins. That is why early detection is so valuable. Every case is different and results may vary; no surgery guarantees new lesions will not appear in the future.
Is a mole that rubs against my clothes dangerous?
Constant friction does not turn a benign mole malignant, but a mole that gets irritated, bleeds or changes deserves a check — and if it bothers you, removing it with an aesthetic closure is a minor procedure. What matters is that every excised lesion is sent for pathology, without exception.
Every case is different. Discuss yours in a personal consultation.
Book a consultation on WhatsAppEvery figure published on this site is approximate and is not a quote. Any procedure or treatment first requires a private assessment consultation with Dr. Arístides Arellano —$800 MXN, charged separately— and it is at that consultation that the definitive cost of your case is determined.
Educational content; it does not replace a medical consultation. Results may vary from person to person.