Moles can also become cancerous! Check out if your mole is dangerous →

Everyone has some moles on their body. Most moles can coexist peacefully with people for many years, but some moles have the potential to turn into melanoma .

Among skin cancers, melanoma is a relatively "evil" type. The disease progresses rapidly, is easy to metastasize, and has a high mortality rate. Which moles should be treated with caution?

01 Be careful with moles in these places

Moles located in the following parts of the body are more likely to become malignant due to frequent irritation, so you need to pay special attention to their morphological changes.

1. Parts prone to friction

Pigmented nevi located in special areas such as the palms, soles, vulva, anus, genitals, nasopharynx, oral mucosa, belt area, etc.

When there is a suspicious mole on the foot and swollen lymph nodes are felt in the ipsilateral groin, or when there is a suspicious mole on the hand and swollen lymph nodes are felt in the ipsilateral armpit, you need to be alert to the possibility of malignancy.

2. Areas frequently exposed to the sun

Excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays is also an important factor in the canceration of pigmented moles . Moles on the head and neck may also become lesions due to long-term exposure to sunlight.

3. Trauma site

A considerable number of melanoma patients have a history of trauma in their primary lesions, such as punctures, smashes, and crushes. The pigmentation in the injured area does not disappear, and cells become malignant during the repair process.

Also note that:

For Asians, melanoma is more common in the extremities, so pay more attention to moles on the palms, soles, and nails;

If you are born with a congenital pigmented nevus, the risk of malignant transformation is higher than normal people;

Whether there is hair growing on a mole cannot be used as a basis for judging whether the mole is benign or malignant;

In order to detect melanoma early, you may want to check your body in the mirror regularly (every 3 to 6 months) , paying special attention to areas that are usually difficult to notice, such as the soles of the feet.

02 The correct way to deal with moles

Most moles are safe and do not require special treatment except for cosmetic purposes. Even benign pigmented moles should not be removed at will . It is recommended to treat more dangerous moles in a timely manner. If treatment is required, surgical removal is often recommended.

03 ABCDE method: self-diagnose whether your mole is dangerous

The moles we often talk about in our daily lives refer to pigmented moles, which are abnormal manifestations of the skin development process. Which mole on your body may be a "dangerous element"? It is recommended to use the "ABCDE method" to check yourself.

A (asymmetry): asymmetry

Most common moles are symmetrical. If a symmetrical mole becomes asymmetrical in a short period of time, you should be alert to malignant melanoma.

B (border): border

The edges of ordinary moles are smooth and clearly demarcated from the surrounding skin. If the edges of a mole become jagged or irregular in a short period of time, you should also be alert.

C (color): color

Normal moles and spots are usually one color, mostly brown, brown or black. When malignant melanoma occurs, the color becomes darker, lighter or discolored, for example, from black to black and skin color, or pink, white, blue-black mixed with brown and tan, and the color is uneven. Among them, large blue moles are more likely to become cancerous. Once the cancer is extremely malignant, it is necessary to pay close attention.

D (diameter): diameter

Common moles are generally small, but if a mole or skin spot is larger than 6 mm, it needs to be carefully examined by a dermatologist.

E (elevation): uplift

Check yourself to see if your mole or skin spot has changed in the past few weeks or months.

Melanoma is usually located at an elevated position with an uneven surface. These irregularities and changes in size are warning signs. Some people are born with large congenital moles or hairy moles. If they suddenly grow larger, develop nodules inside, and lose hair in a short period of time, you should also be alert to whether they are becoming malignant.

Of course, the enlargement and change in shape of moles are not always caused by malignant diseases. They may also be caused by other diseases such as senile warts and soft fibromas .

If you notice the above changes on your skin, it is recommended that you go to the dermatology department for a checkup. For highly malignant melanoma, early detection and treatment can have a survival rate of more than 95%.

04 Learn to live peacefully with moles on your body

Most moles grow slowly or remain unchanged for many years. Doing the following three things will help you live in peace with them.

1. Daily sun protection

Ultraviolet rays can penetrate the surface of the skin, stimulate mole cells to cause gene mutations, and increase the risk of cancer. It is recommended to take good sun protection on a daily basis. During the day, ultraviolet rays are the strongest from 10:00 to 16:00, so it is especially important to pay attention to sun protection at this time.

2. Don’t pluck the hair on the mole

Some people think that "hair growing on moles is definitely not good" and should be trimmed or plucked. This is a misconception. The skin has hair follicles. The hair follicles under the mole cells are often relatively large, and the hair that grows will be longer and harder. This is a normal phenomenon. When trimming the hair on a mole, it is not advisable to trim it too short, and don't pluck it directly , so as not to irritate the hair follicles and cause infection.

3. Don’t remove moles repeatedly

If the same mole has not been removed after repeated laser treatment, the risk of malignant transformation is relatively high, and surgical removal is recommended. Therefore, try not to go to an informal beauty salon and perform laser mole removal multiple times at will. It is better to choose a formal hospital and ask the doctor to check it. Summary: First of all, prevention of melanin moles is better than treatment.

Secondly, in daily life, we should pay attention to:

1) Check the moles on yourself and your family members every year to see if there are any changes;

2) Have a physical examination every year after the age of 30, checking the skin all over the body, especially the soles of the feet, facial features, etc.;

3) New moles larger than 0.5 cm that appear after the age of 20, especially on the soles of the feet and palms, and black nail lines that appear after the age of 15 should be treated;

4) Do not randomly touch moles, do not scratch or irritate moles, do not remove nails or take biopsies if there are black lines on the nails, and it is advisable to see a specialist who understands skin pathology;

5) Any removed "mole" or small tumor must be pathologically examined;

6) Finally, if in doubt, see an experienced doctor.

Source: CCTV Life Circle