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What are moles?Moles are small, dark marks that appear on the skin. They are usually round or oval in shape and are caused when the cells that produce pigment, called melanocytes, grow in groups. Show Most people have about 50 moles. They can appear anywhere, including palms and soles, nails, genitals, scalp and eyes. Moles are different to freckles. Freckles are flat, where moles tend to be raised. There are different types of moles:
How are moles diagnosed?Regular skin checks performed by your doctor are important, especially if you have a large number of moles or several dysplastic moles. Your doctor will most likely use a dermatoscope (for magnification) to determine if a mole has features that are suspicious for cancer. Photographs may also be used to compare lesions from one skin check to the next. You should self-examine your skin at least every 3 to 4 months and tell your doctor if you notice any moles that are new, growing or changing. Check your moles regularly and look out for the following:
If you have a mole, avoid scratching or picking it — keeping children’s fingernails short and trimmed may help stop them scratching their moles. If your mole is in a vulnerable area where it could be knocked or scraped against something, you should try to protect it. CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help. How are moles removed?Your doctor may decide to remove a role if it is larger than usual or it looks like it may be cancerous. You may also decide to have a mole removed if it is painful or you do not like the way it looks. The doctor will give you a local anaesthetic to numb the area and then cut or shave the mole off with a surgical blade, or use a hollow tube with a sharp end (punch device) to remove the mole. You may have stitches to the area and a dressing will be put on top. After a mole is removed, you should take care to keep the wound area clean and use pain relief medication if needed. Check for redness, swelling, pain, discharge or a bad smell. Can moles be prevented?The number of moles is mainly caused by the genes you inherit. However, exposure to sunlight, especially in childhood and early teenage years, can lead to new moles developing. Always make sure you avoid the sun and protect your skin by wearing tightly woven longer sleeved clothing, broad brimmed hats and sunglasses and applying sunscreens regularly. Moles are small lesions in the skin. They are a collection of melanocytes. Melanocytes are melanin-producing cells. Melanin is a pigment which gives skin its color. Moles are usually brownish, but some may be much darker, while others are skin-colored. They can be rough, flat, raised, and have hair growing out of them. They are generally round or oval, and have a smooth edge. Moles can change in appearance and amount. Sometimes they eventually fade away or drop off. Some moles respond to changes in hormone levels, as may occur during pregnancy, adolescence, and older age. During teen years they usually grow in number, they also get darker during pregnancy and gradually fade away as people age. The majority of moles appear during the first 20-30 years of a person’s life, however, some may be present when the baby is born. Congenital melanocytic nevi are present at birth, any moles appearing after birth are melanocytic nevi. Dark skinned people generally have fewer moles than those with fair skin. Older people tend to have seborrheic keratoses. These are not moles; they may look like them, but they are blemishes. They look like raised warts. They can be gray, brown, yellowish, or black. They are more commonly found on the tummy and chest. Freckles are not moles. The majority of moles are harmless and require no treatment. They may be surgically removed if:
A mole may be removed in several ways:
If the melanoma is detected in the very early stages, when the mole is thin and has not grown downwards from the surface of the skin and spread to other parts of the body, it is removed using a simple surgical technique. If it is detected in later stages, it will be removed, plus some healthy skin around it – called a safety margin. If the cancer has entered the bloodstream or lymphatic system and formed tumors in other parts of the body, the patient will require further treatment. In general, moles are brown; however, they can come in a variety of sizes, shapes and colors:
A mole’s surface can be raised, wrinkled, flat, or smooth. They may start out with one color and be flat, and then become slightly raised, and the color may lighten. Some may develop a small stalk, and gradually wear off. Often, moles will disappear completely. Most moles appear during early life, up to the age of about 20 years, however, they can continue appearing until middle age. Moles that emerge after the age of 20 should be shown to a doctor. You should also see your doctor if a mole itches, has a burning sensation, is painful, bleeds or oozes, is crusty or scaly, or suddenly changes in color, elevation, size, or shape. Most moles do not lead to complications, but some can become cancerous. This is especially true for:
People, especially those with numerous moles, should check them regularly for changes in size, color or shape. In the majority of cases, mole changes are nothing to worry about, they are usually due to benign increases in pigment cells in the skin. Benign means non-cancerous. When visiting a doctor about a mole, they will ask the parient to describe when they detected the changes, and if there is a family history of moles and any complications. NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence), UK, has a seven-point checklist to use when assessing a mole:
If the changes to the mole are mild, the doctor may take a clinical photograph of it and measure its dimensions. The patient will be asked to come back after a few weeks to see whether any of the dimensions have changed. Share on PinterestIf a doctor suspects there are signs of malignancy, the patient will be referred to a specialist, usually a dermatologist. The dermatologist will either cut the mole out (excision biopsy) or say that the mole is not cancerous. Ideally, the entire mole is surgically removed in one go. If it is in a difficult location, this might not be possible. The removed mole will be sent to a lab and viewed under a microscope for signs of cell changes. If lab results come back with a suspected melanoma, further tests may be ordered to determine whether the cancer has spread. Protecting yourself from skin cancerIf a mole is going to form, it will form, there is nothing you can do to prevent that. However, you can reduce the chances of developing malignant melanoma by doing the following:
What causes a mole on your skin?Moles are caused when cells in the skin called melanocytes grow in clusters. Melanocytes are generally distributed throughout the skin. They produce melanin, the natural pigment that gives skin its color.
What happens if you pick a mole off?Cutting off any growth increases your risk of infection, especially if the tool you use is not properly sanitized. You can also create a permanent scar where the mole once was. Another risk of removing a mole yourself is that you can't tell if a mole is cancerous. A mole could be melanoma.
Are skin moles harmful?A mole on your skin is also known as a nevus, or a beauty mark. It is very common to have moles and most are harmless. They're not contagious and they shouldn't hurt, itch, or bleed.
What do moles on skin mean?Moles occur when cells in the skin grow in a cluster instead of being spread throughout the skin. These cells are called melanocytes, and they make the pigment that gives skin its natural color. Moles may darken after exposure to the sun, during the teen years, and during pregnancy.
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What is a mole on your skin
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