MOLES

Moles

Resource: NHS

Moles are small, coloured spots on the skin. Most people have them and they're usually nothing to worry about unless they change size, shape or colour. Most moles are harmless. It's normal for:

babies to be born with moles
new moles to appear – especially in children and teenagers
moles to fade or disappear as you get older
moles to get slightly darker during pregnancy

When a mole could be serious

Some moles can be a sign of melanoma, a type of skin cancer. Signs of melanoma include:

A mole that's changed colour or has more than 2 colours
A mole with uneven borders
A mole that's bleeding, itching, crusting or raised

Dermatologists recommend an annual skin checkup. At this time, any change of existing moles as well as any potential cancerous growth will be checked. If you see any concerning changes to your skin in between your annual checkups, you should seek a medical opinion.

Dermatologists examine your skin using a dermatoscope, which uses a high-quality lens for 10 to 14-times magnification and a lighting system which enables visualization of subsurface structures , also benign moles from malignant (cancerous) ones could be differentiated. With Dermoscopic photography a good baseline will be achieved too for those naevi which need regular monitoring also for the records.

Some of the changes that warrant a check by a dermatologist are:
• Any new or rapidly growing mole
• A mole that suddenly changes in shape or size or colour as major changes

Minor changes:
• Moles that are extremely itchy
• Any mole that bleeds on its own without injury
• Inflammation
• Change of sensation
• Diameter more than 7mm fir those below 7mm

You may also be at a higher risk of cancerous skin spots if you have more than 50 acquired moles

How to prevent cancerous moles

UV light from the sun can increase the chance of a mole becoming cancerous. If you have lots of moles, you need to be extra careful in the sun. It's important to check your moles regularly for any changes. There are some things you can do to protect your moles from sun damage, especially during hot weather.

Do:

stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm, when sunlight is strongest
cover skin with clothes – wear a hat and sunglasses if you have moles on your face
regularly apply a high-factor sunscreen (minimum SPF30) and apply it again after swimming – read more about sunscreen and sun safety

Don’t:

use sunlamps or sunbeds – they use UV light

Atypical moles

Resource: AAD

This type of mole can look like melanoma. It is not melanom, but you have a higher risk of getting melanoma if you have:

Four or more atypical moles.
Already had a melanoma.
A first-degree relative (parent, brother, sister, or child) who had melanoma.

Your dermatologist may call an atypical mole a dysplastic nevus. Nevus is the medical term for mole. When your dermatologist is talking about two or more moles, you may hear the word "nevi."

Atypical moles (or nevi) are often:

Larger than an eraser on the end of a pencil.
Have an odd shape (not round).
Show more than one color—mixes of tan, brown, red, and pink.

Atypical moles can appear anywhere on the body. They often appear on the trunk. You can also get them on your scalp, head, or neck. Atypical moles rarely appear on the face. Some people who have many atypical moles have a medical condition called familial atypical multiple mole-melanoma (FAMMM) syndrome. People with FAMMM syndrome have:

Many moles—more than 50
Some moles that are atypical
A blood relative who has (or had) melanoma

Congenital mole
When a person is born with a mole, the mole is called a congenital mole. Roughly, 1 out of 100 people is born with a mole. These moles vary in size from small to giant. Having a giant congenital mole increases a person’s risk of developing melanoma.

Acquired mole (50 to 100 or more)
When a mole appears on the skin after a person is born, it is called an acquired mole. Most people who have light skin have about 10 to 40 of these moles. These moles also are called common moles.

If a person has 50 or more of these moles, the person has a higher risk for getting melanoma.

The ABCDEs of melanoma:
• A. Asymmetry: One side of the mole has a different shape or texture than the opposite side.
• B. Border: irregular and sometimes poorly defined
• C. Color: Instead of one shade of colour the mole has variations in colour throughout, or exhibits abnormal colours like white or red.
• D. Diameter: Moles that are less than 6 millimeters across are less of a cause for concern than larger ones
• E. Evolving: The shape of mole is changing, or only one mole out of several looks different from the rest