Nevuses (the so-called moles in medicine) are almost all of us. We get used to these dark spots on the body, which give a person a certain peculiarity, charm. Usually, once having appeared, the nevus remains with us for life. But what does the fact that the mole has darkened mean? Is it worth it to see a doctor? What are the warning signs of the process when a harmless mole degenerates into a malignant melanoma?
What is a nevus?
A mole is a consequence of the excessive work of melanocytes (cells that produce melanin), the accumulation of the pigment they produce. The more melanin spots in the cells, the darker the nevus will be. A person can have such marks from birth. Sometimes they appear during life - mostly before the age of 16.
The mole has darkened. Don't be scared right away. This is a normal process if it is associated with the development of education - a newly appeared mole. It is "born" as a light spot, which darkens over time, approaching its permanent shade. However, we note that the period of development is alwaysgradual, gradual.
Signs of a safe mole
The nevi themselves are safe for the life and he alth of the owner of the mark. Signs of a normal mole:
- No more than 6 mm in diameter.
- Static in size - does not grow.
- Has smooth (not sharp) edges.
- Smooth surface.
- No roughness or build-up.
- Static in color.
If black dots appear inside the nevus, which increase in size, go beyond its borders, then this may be one of the signs of melanoma. What is it? A malignant formation of the skin, which can lead to serious consequences for human he alth, like any cancerous tumor. The transformation of a harmless nevus into melanoma is called malignancy. A number of factors can provoke this.
Thus, if the mole has darkened, then this is a reason to pay attention to the nevus. But this will not be a defining sign of the development of melanoma.
Why did the mole darken?
Changes in nevi lie in the action of certain factors on them. Can a mole darken? Yes, and it's all about the reasons that affect the activity of melanocytes (and, accordingly, the amount of pigment they produce). This is the following:
- UV rays. Ultraviolet most of all contributes to the accumulation of melanin in cells. Therefore, we get a chocolate tan under the rays of the sun, solarium lamps. If you periodicallyif you stay in the sun for a long time, you may notice that the mole has darkened along with the skin (sometimes the nevus becomes almost black, black blotches appear on it). Experts advise to protect the marks from direct exposure to UV rays - use protective equipment, cover yourself with clothes, do not sunbathe in the sun from 11 to 16 hours. If you have a lot of moles on your body, then it is better to stop going to the solarium.
- Changes in hormonal levels. This condition also affects the production of melanin. Therefore, nevi can darken during adolescence, pregnancy and menopause in women. The darkening of the nevi is one of the external signals that the body is rebuilding, there is an imbalance in its systems.
- Damage. A mole may well change its color due to a mechanical effect on it, an injury. Even the constant friction on clothes can be the reason.
What is a hanging nevus?
We will separately analyze why the hanging mole darkened. This is an ordinary harmless nevus, but located not in the thickness of the skin, but on the so-called leg - attached to the epithelium with a small thin piece of tissue. A number of experts note that such moles are less likely than others to degenerate into a dangerous melanoma. They are distinguished by their skin color, somewhat rough surface and small size.
These formations cause discomfort to their owner because, more than other nevi, they are subject to mechanical damage by clothing, hygiene items, jewelry, and so on. Basically, they are located in"traumatic" locations - in the armpits, on the neck, in the intimate area.
The hanging nevus has darkened - what's the matter?
If the hanging mole has darkened, then the reasons for the change lie in the following:
- Again, excessive UV exposure of the wearer.
- Restructuring the hormonal background.
- Mechanical injury. The most common reason. As a result of an injury, a hanging mole can not only darken, but also become inflamed, begin to dry, and even fall off.
- Another reason for the blackening of such a nevus is a violation of the blood supply in its tissues.
What is the danger of damage to a hanging nevus? Even if the area on the leg darkened and came off, the base of the mole still remained deep in the skin layers. Damage can cause the growth of nevus cells in the thickness of the epithelium. This process can only be stopped surgically - by removing them.
Dangerous symptoms of degeneration into melanoma
First of all, we note that the blackening of the nevus is an alarming symptom in itself! Yes, sometimes the reason can be banal and harmless - friction on clothes, frequent exposure to the scorching rays of the sun. But still, this is a sufficient reason for contacting a specialist - a dermatologist or oncologist. So you can stop the development of melanoma in time. Or calm down that everything is in order with your he alth.
The mole has grown and darkened. What can it say? If the blackening of the nevus is accompanied by other unclear symptoms - a reason for an urgent visit to the doctor! Imaginelist of the most common signs of malignancy:
- A sharp increase in size of education, changing its shape and shade.
- From the nevus, fluid, blood, mucus is often released.
- Hairs appeared on the mole (in case they did not grow there before).
- Nevus surrounded by a white halo of discolored skin.
- The mole has red, black or other excellent color blotches.
- The surface of the nevus became rough, covered with roughness, cracks.
- The skin, both at the site of the mark itself and around it, thickened.
- You feel discomfort in the location of the nevus - itching, pain.
If the mole has darkened, become convex - do not hesitate, contact an experienced doctor as soon as possible! Even one of the above symptoms is reason enough to visit.
What to do - dark mole?
We remind you once again that the first step is to contact a medical clinic, a qualified specialist. But the darkening of the mole itself is not enough reason to make a diagnosis.
The patient will be asked to undergo several diagnostic procedures. First - a visual inspection by a specialist. Then - the delivery of tests (skiascopy, dermatoscopy). If the clinical picture is controversial, then an additional biopsy is prescribed.
What is the treatment?
Follow-up therapy is based on the diagnosis identified by the results of the examinations:
- Degeneration of a nevus into melanoma. In thatIn this case, a traditional operation is performed under local anesthesia to remove the formation. After that, the tumor tissues are sent for histological analysis to assess their malignancy. The disadvantage of this method is that it does not save from the recurrence of such cases. But still today it is the surest way to get rid of malignant tumors.
- Nevus is not a he alth hazard. The patient will be offered recommendations to prevent the degeneration of moles into melanomas. A harmless darkened nevus can be removed by a number of hardware methods - cryodestruction (exposure to liquid nitrogen), radioknife (removal using high-frequency electromagnetic waves), electrical destruction (removal of a nevus by exposure to electric current), laser therapy methods.
Don't do this
You have noticed that one or more nevi on your body have darkened. Now we will present examples of what can aggravate your condition, cause serious consequences:
- Self-diagnosis and self-treatment. The cause of the darkening of the mole can only be identified by a qualified doctor. He assigns recommendations for further actions of the patient.
- Self-removal of a mole. This is especially true for nevi on the leg. The consequences of such actions can be the most deplorable - from infection to the accelerated development of melanoma.
- The use of traditional medicine. Even after consulting a doctor, many people still deviate from the prescribed treatment. They are attracted by the peopleremedies that are rumored to bring quick and painless positive results. However, remember that any chemical and mechanical effects on the nevus without its further complete removal only accelerate the rate of conversion of this harmless formation into melanoma.
- Following controversial advice. On the Internet, you can find recommendations of a similar plan: seal darkened moles before visiting the beach and solarium - they say, this will protect them from the harmful effects of UV rays. But in this way you also create a negative greenhouse effect. It is safer for life and he alth to follow the recommendations of your doctor.
Now we know that the darkening of a mole can be the result of both hormonal changes, too intense sunburn, mechanical damage, and dangerous malignant melanoma. Therefore, the only way for you to act here is to contact a specialist as soon as possible.
