They say a person with many moles must certainly be happy. About which moles are dangerous and which do not cause problems, read below.
How do moles appear?
Let's start with the fact that a mole is a kind of pigmented neoplasm. And its color depends on the content of melanin and melanocytes (such cells) in it. Another name for such a formation is a nevus. A mole grows throughout life.
According to observations, the number of nevi depends on the frequency and duration of exposure to the sun (sunburn). Each mole has its own life cycle. The shape depends on the level of placement of pigment cells (upper level - the mole grows flat, lower (in the dermis) - elevated). It usually appears as a tiny spot, and later it can rise above the skin.
Which moles are dangerous?
That elevation we just talked about has no negative consequences. The main thing is that the mole does not change its color and size.
Can moles disappear on their own?
May. But as the mole grows, so it disappears - gradually. A white "orbit" (contour) is formed around the nevus, gradually narrowing. The nevus turns white and, disappearing, leaves a bright spot in its place. This spot (halonevus) can appear after sunburn. Sometimes it becomes a harbinger of a disease called vitiligo.
Are red dots a mole?
Red dots are angiomas. Such neoplasms are benign, removed by laser, without a trace and painlessly. Angiomas appear with genetic diseases, pregnancy, taking contraceptives, problems with the pancreas and liver. By the way, the red dots that appeared during pregnancy most often disappear on their own after childbirth.
What if the mole grows?
A growing mole may turn out to be melanoma - a malignant formation based on very aggressive melanocytes, constantly dividing and crowding out other cells. When these cells have nowhere to go, they "go" to the so-called vascular bed, spreading throughout the body. Having settled somewhere in another organ, she again begins to divide. Doctors call this process metastasis. Here we can talk about some risk factors that could provoke the appearance of such melanomas: the presence of borderline moles (dysplastic nevi, similar to broken eggs or fried eggs, with a dark center and lightstrokes), suffered sometime in childhood sunburn (especially prone to freckles, fair-skinned, fair-haired, blue-eyed) and, of course, a genetic predisposition. If the mole grows, see at least a beautician. But only an oncologist can give you a more complete, more accurate answer after an examination and a hardware examination on a dermatoscope.
How dangerous is a growing mole?
The more it is running, the more dangerous it is because it can metastasize. Mortality as a result of their appearance is quite high (at late stages - up to 95% in the CIS countries). Timely removal of melanoma guarantees an absolute cure. Any deviation (asymmetry, appearance of irregularities, change in size or color, formation of crusts (cracks), pain, itching, etc.) should be a reason for urgent medical attention.
