2023-06-08 02:00:20
- Although a mole is natural, sometimes it can be dangerous because it can be a melanoma.
- In 2022, the WHO presented SunSmart Global UV, a new app to prevent skin cancer.
- Periodic visits with the dermatologist are essential to identify any problems as soon as possible.
A mole on the skin is natural and all people have them, although on some occasions they can be dangerous and indicate a skin disease. With this in mind, beyond the aesthetic aspect, the important thing is to go to periodic reviews with specialists to identify any type of problem in time.
About this topic, the Dra. Ming Jihwho is a dermatologist at Hospital Houston Methodist, mentions that skin moles can be of different shapes and sizes. Although most are normal, unfortunately there are others that may be a sign of melanoma.
However, although there are rare cases of rapidly evolving melanomas, most of these grow very slowly over years, showing changes that are generally perceptible to the eye. For this reason, it is essential to know the characteristics that make a mole worrisome and what to do if you detect one.
What is a skin mole?
The easiest way to explain it is to see it as a collection of melanocytes, which are cells responsible for producing skin color, eye color, and hair color. Melanocytes are normally present throughout the body. When a group of these cells clump together, you get a visible growth known as a mole.
In this vein, most of the Moles are not birthmarks but develop throughout life.
“The largest number of moles typically form during childhood and into early adulthood, although you could develop new moles throughout your life, especially if you have excessive UV exposure.”
What causes the formation of moles on the skin?
One of the main causes of skin moles, formed after birth, is exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or from artificial sources, such as tanning beds.
When the skin is exposed to UV rays, melanocytes produce a protective pigment called melanin, which darkens the skin. This exposure can also induce melanocytes to clump together, creating moles. So the more we expose our skin to sunlight or other sources of UV light, the more moles we’ll probably get, as a result.
When can a mole be dangerous?
The worrying thing about moles is that they can sometimes progress to skin cancer or melanoma, a condition that can be deadly. This happens because the same UV rays that help induce mole formation can also damage the DNA within melanocytes, leading to cancer. However, most moles are normal and will never develop into melanoma.
“A normal mole should be stable, with a regular, uniform color (brown, tan, or black) and a shape (round or oval) that doesn’t change. To determine if a mole is worrisome, I recommend following the ABCDEs, which classify a mole based on asymmetry, border, color, diameter, and whether it has evolved over time.”
Specifically, the ABCDE stands for:
A: Is the mole asymmetrical?
B: Does the mole have jagged edges?
C: Is the color of the mole unusually dark, atypical in color, or many colors?
D: Is the diameter greater than 6 millimeters?
E: Has the appearance of the mole evolved (changed)?
The most objective way to do this self-check is to document your moles, taking photos so you can compare them over time.
Can a mole be prevented from progressing to melanoma?
Many people underestimate the amount of UV light they receive. Both normal sunlight and that from tanning beds contribute not only to the increase in the number of moles, but also to the formation of melanoma.
Also read:
Graphic of the day: Celebrities who have been diagnosed with skin cancer
Melanoma, the skin cancer with the highest increase among young people
SunSmart Global UV, new WHO app to prevent skin cancer
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