What are moles?
Moles, known as nevi, are typically small, brown spots on the trunk and extremities of your body and begin to develop during the first 20 years of life.
Most people have between 10 and 40 moles, although the number you have may change throughout life.
Moles occur when cells in the skin grow in a cluster instead of being throughout the skin.
Are there different types of moles?
There are three types of moles, normal, congenital and dysplastic nevi. Normal moles are just that normal. Congenital nevi are moles that appear at birth and if large pose a significant risk of becoming cancerous. Dysplastic nevi are moles that usually appear during adolescence and are larger than a pencil eraser, sometimes irregular in shape and tend to have uneven color with dark brown centers and lighter, uneven edges.
People with more than 100 of dysplastic nevi have a greater chance of developing malignant melanoma.
What features of a mole suggest possible cancer?
Certain clinical features of moles suggest melanoma. Follow the ABCDEs of moles to determine if you might be a risk.
The ABCDEs of moles include:
- Asymmetry: Asymmetry or one half does not match the other half.
- Border: The border or edges are ragged, blurred, or irregular.
- Color: The color is not the same throughout .
- Diameter: The diameter is larger than the eraser of a pencil.
- Elevated: If a mole appears elevated, or raised from the skin.
If a mole displays any of the ABCDEs, have it checked immediately, it could be cancerous.
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