Information About Moles And How You Get Them, How You Live With Them, And How To Get Rid Of Them
Moles are a aggregation of cells that normally give your skin its color, and occur in many shapes, sizes and colors
They are not fussy about where they form, or how old you are when they develop Most will stay with you forever, but if you are lucky they may also disappear without any treatment
A small percentage of moles can become cancerous. Melanomas, potentially fatal skin cancers, often start out as moles
Cancerous moles must be removed, but the majority of moles are harmless and may stay untreated If they are not unsightly or in the way there is really no medical reason to remove them. And certainly if you feel self conscious about them, there is also no reason to keep them.
However if new moles turn up and grow rapidly, or if old moles grow or look different, don’t hesitate in getting them examined by a competent doctor.
It’s really only a ordinary mole surrounded by a thin whitish ring or halo Children and teenagers are more likely to have a halo nevus than the rest of us, and they are a type of mole that often disappears with age.
Atypical or Abnormal Moles
Any mole with an strange outline, an indistinct or uneven border, and with more than one color should be treated with suspicion. These types of moles form a collection called dysplastic moles or nevi, and if not cancerous themselves, are more likely to go that way than ordinary moles.
They can be inherited, and despite being known to last for years with no worries, should be examined regularly for changes or signs of growth Don’t be surprised if your doctor suggests you get them removed just to be on the safe side.
Where And When Do Skin Moles Form?
Moles are aggregations of the skin cells, called melanocytes, which give your skin its coloring. Sometimes these colored skin cells gather together as a flat or raised mole, rather than spreading evenly throughout the skin. There doesn’t seem to be any special cause, unlike the somewhat similar warts, which are caused by a virus
Moles start growing between the two outermost layers of the skin, the epidermis and dermis The ones in the shallow layers are the normal brown or pink moles, while those which form a little deeper usually have a blue tint. Dark Brown or black moles are not really any different, having a greater denseness of pigmented cells.
While moles may appear at any time of our lives, many of us get our first moles when we are young children Times when our hormonal balance is changing, such as puberty, pregnancy or menopause, are also times when moles commonly develop. Fortunately these moles often disappear once hormonal levels return to ordinary.
Most moles vary a little with time, often due to age and exposure to sunlight. Some moles might start to grow long hairs, but more common changes are a darkening or lightening in coloring. Those long hairs are a bit of a worry.
Moles can change into skin cancers for a number of reasons, but the easiest to avoid are exposure to ultra violet radiation from the sun or tanning beds. Try to check your moles at least once a year, and don’t forget hard to get at places like your scalp or back.
Look for changes in size, coloring, or shape, or increased itchiness, irritation or bleeding, and if you see anything, get yourself along to a doctor for an expert judgment.
Don’t be surprised if your doctor suggests you have them removed (but don’t allow yourself to worry – it will mostly be as a safeguard).
It is fairly routine to surgically remove the mole, together with some of the surrounding tissue to allow tests for cancerous cells, but most will be benign. The consequences of ignoring suspicious moles can include the growth of a melanoma And if a melanoma penetrates the skin and enters the body it becomes a major problem, because untreated advanced melanomas are nearly always fatal.
And afterwards, you may have a small scar which will usually fade away in a month or so. It is unlikely that the mole will reappear.
That’s the story for suspicious moles, but what if you want to get rid of a ordinary skin mole or two?
Surgical removal is also an option if you want to eliminate a normal harmless mole, although you will have a few more options, none of which involve much in the way of pain or scarring.
A popular alternative which is generally cheaper and about as efficient as surgery is to remove the mole yourself at home, using non prescription medications or natural treatments you can make up yourself
a number of of these are described in my blog. Here’s a Home Mole Removal Treatment which is painless, scar free, safe and effective, and you may do it by yourself at very little expense.