Mr. Onur Gilleard
Qualifications & Experience
Mr Onur Gilleard is a distinguished consultant plastic surgeon on the GMC specialist register. He previously held an NHS consultant post at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, specialising in skin cancer and microsurgical reconstruction. In 2021, Mr Gilleard transitioned from the NHS to dedicate himself fully to private practice, allowing him to focus exclusively on providing personalised, high-quality care to his patients. He is recognised as an expert in laser treatments, having conducted research and developed advanced treatment protocols using cutting-edge laser technology to optimise both clinical outcomes and cosmetic results.
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You can have a mole removed safely at any time of year — but if the choice is yours, the cooler months (autumn and winter) tend to give the best cosmetic result. The reason is simple: a healing scar must be protected from UV for around a year, and that is far easier when you are covered up and the sun is weak. The one thing you should not do is delay removing a mole that is changing or suspicious for the sake of timing — a worrying mole takes priority over the calendar.
When Timing Does Not Matter At All
If a mole is new, changing, irregular, itching or bleeding, it should be assessed and, if needed, removed promptly — season is irrelevant. The point of removal here is partly diagnostic, and delay carries real risk. Learn the warning signs in how to spot a suspicious mole, and if something is changing quickly, request an urgent assessment. Everything below applies only to elective, cosmetic removal of a mole already confirmed benign.
Why Autumn and Winter Help the Scar
A fresh scar is vulnerable to two things that summer brings: UV light, which permanently darkens new scars, and heat and sweat, which can irritate a wound and loosen dressings. In the cooler months, clothing naturally covers most areas, sun is weaker, and you are less likely to be swimming or sunbathing while the wound is healing. That makes faithful sun protection — the most important factor in a pale, flat scar — effortless rather than a daily battle. Pair this with good aftercare for the best result.
If You Have It Done in Summer
Summer removal is perfectly safe; you simply have to be more disciplined. Keep the scar completely covered or use SPF 50 on it whenever it is exposed, avoid swimming until the wound has healed, and keep the area cool and dry. Plenty of patients have moles removed in summer with excellent results — it just takes a little more care.
Planning Around Holidays and Events
If you have a wedding, holiday or photographed event coming up, allow time: sutures come out at one to two weeks, visible redness settles over several weeks, and the scar continues to mature for months. As a rule of thumb, give yourself at least six to eight weeks before an event where the area will be on show, and avoid booking removal of a body mole just before a beach holiday. Our mole removal guide explains the full recovery timeline.
Common Questions
- Is winter really better for mole removal?
- For elective cosmetic removal, yes — cooler months make it much easier to keep a healing scar out of the sun and free from sweat, which gives a paler, flatter result. For a suspicious or changing mole, however, you should not wait for winter; it should be removed promptly whatever the season.
- Is it safe to remove a mole in summer?
- Yes. The procedure itself is identical year-round. In summer you just need to be stricter about protecting the scar from UV with clothing or SPF 50 and avoiding swimming until the wound has healed.
- How long before a holiday should I have a mole removed?
- Allow at least six to eight weeks if the area will be exposed, so sutures are out and redness has settled. Avoid removing a body mole right before a beach holiday, as the healing scar must stay out of the sun.
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