No, probably, in the world of a person who would not have moles on his body or face. Usually they are not paid attention, but it happens that moles begin to demand it from themselves. Such situations are often when it is necessary to eliminate a mole. How to do this correctly and safely, and is it even possible to remove moles on the body? In today's article we will understand this issue.
What are moles
First you need to decide: what is a mole? Many confuse it with a wart, but there is a significant difference between them. More on this will be said a little later, but for now it should be noted that a mole, or, in other words, a birthmark, is a pigmented formation on the skin. It appears in those places where a large amount of the pigment melanin is formed. Accumulated in excess in the cells, this pigment at some point turns into a mole. A mole can appear anywhere, on any part of the human body.
Birthmarks can be of different sizes - from tiny, microscopic, to quite large and impressive. They are able to change their size throughout life - at first they are small, and then grow (on the contrary, unfortunately, it does not happen). The color of the mole can also be any - from light brown to red.
There are two types of moles - congenital and acquired (the causes of their appearance will be indicated below). Both of them can be both pigmented (which happens most often) and vascular - this means that the mole did not arise due to an excess of pigment in the skin, but due to the accelerated growth of capillaries, which led to a change in the structure of blood vessels. Such birthmarks are red. But they are found much less frequently than age spots that every person on Earth has. As a rule, they appear even in the very first years of life, during carefree infancy, but they are so small that you cannot even see them with the naked eye. Gradually they increase in size. The abundance of moles can occur at the time of puberty, when hormones are raging and there is a restructuring of the whole organism. By the way, pregnant women often find new moles in themselves - just because of hormonal activity.
How do they appear
As mentioned above, birthmarks can occur on the body or face of a person either due to the large amount of pigment, or due to the high growth of capillaries, as well as a result of a hormonal surge. However, this is not all the reasons for the appearance of moles. Another factor affecting the distribution of moles throughout the body is heredity. You can’t argue with genes, which means that if their appearance is embedded in DNA, you can be sure that they will appear.
Moles also arise due to exposure to the sun and / or ultraviolet radiation, as well as due to radiation or x-rays, skin injuries or heavily transferred viruses that contributed to a change in the cellular structure.
What are the differences from warts?
Both a mole and a wart are neoplasms on the skin. But they are not, as mentioned above, one and the same. What is a mole, previously described. A wart is a small tubercle (as if some growth on the skin), protruding forward, not flat, but voluminous. Warts are viral, that is, those resulting from the ingestion of human papillomavirus, and senile, that is, those that appear as a result of aging.
Viral are more common. The reason for their appearance may be contact with a person infected with this virus, lowered immunity, high sweating, mental trauma and so on. Such warts are usually painless to the touch, except for those that grow on the feet. They can appear on the hands, on the soles (where shoes rub and crush), on the genitals and in the inguinal region (appear due to non-observance of basic hygiene), on the face (as a rule, they arise in adolescence due to very tender irritation skin).
Thus, a wart differs from a birthmark primarily in its shape. In addition, warts are lighter than moles, and also more unpleasant to the touch (hard, and birthmarks are soft). And finally, there are more moles. And warts do not have to be removed; they can be cured. Unfortunately, this will not work with moles.
Are freckles moles too?
It is worth saying a few words about freckles. In fact, these are the same age spots. But they are not moles and, unlike them, are completely safe for humans. Freckles, as a rule, are an order of magnitude lighter, most often they become more noticeable by the summer, appearing on the skin under the influence of sunlight. Freckles are mainly characteristic of pale-faced, fair-skinned people, often red, while the color of hair or skin is absolutely not important for moles. In addition, moles, as already mentioned, can appear anywhere. Freckles are most often found all the same on the face. Well, the main difference is that moles are the result of accumulation of skin cells with an excess of pigment called melanin. It is precisely in this that their potential danger to human health and even human life lies.
Why are moles dangerous?
Since moles are a consequence of changes in the structure of skin cells, it would be logical to say that they are a neoplasm. But benign, do not be scared. With an appropriate lifestyle and careful attitude, moles are not dangerous. However, the fact remains that any benign formation is capable (only capable, but not necessarily!) Of becoming malignant sooner or later. Moles under the strong and constant influence of sunlight or ultraviolet light can turn into melanoma - a very powerful tumor. And cancer, as you know, unfortunately, has not yet been completely treated. This is precisely the danger of birthmarks, which is why it is undesirable to sunbathe in those places where there is a cluster of moles. And even more so you should not visit the solarium. It is advisable to generally close the moles from the sun - with a bandage, for example, or with a long sleeve if they are on hand. It is also not recommended to injure the skin in those places where birthmarks are located - this can also lead to cancer. As well as rubbing the skin - this should also be avoided.
Experts recommend immediately contacting a doctor if the mole suddenly changes in size or shape, the skin around it turns red and / or the skin begins to itch, if blood flows from the mole or hair grows, and also if new spots suddenly appear in large quantities. Particularly careful about yourself and your birthmarks should be freckled, pale-skinned people, as well as those who have plenty of them.
Is it possible to delete
If moles are potentially dangerous, a logical question arises: is it easier to remove them? If the mole is one, then perhaps easier. And if their whole scattering?
Be that as it may, moles can be removed. But only in places where it is really necessary because of the risk of skin cancer. For example, on the soles - it is just there that regular frequent friction occurs.
It is important to know that the removal of moles should be done exclusively by an oncologist. And although this procedure is now widespread in various beauty salons, the answer to the question of where it is better to remove moles is clear and categorical - exclusively in the oncology room. You should not contact cosmetologists, and even more so in no case should you try to solve this issue yourself at home.
Mole removal: pros and cons
As mentioned above, you do not need to remove a mole just because you wanted to. If she is in a place where she is not in danger of injury, if she does not cause any discomfort, you should not touch her. Removing a mole (in the photo below you can see an example of education that you want to get rid of) is recommended only if there is a high risk of melanoma. These are spots located in places such as the neck or décolleté area - there is constant friction and irritation from clothes, the inguinal region or the armpit - there you can injure it with a razor, the sole. Well, of course, you must immediately eliminate the mole, which brings pain and discomfort. However, it is recommended that you first observe it for a while, pass the necessary tests, and only then, after confirming the diagnosis, go to surgery.
So, the vote for removal is clear - this is a potential cancer risk. What factor can serve as a voice against? Oddly enough, it's the same. The fact is that even a removed mole, it would seem, can become a threat of a tumor. Birthmarks have roots that are. They grow on a sufficiently large number of skin cells. And if the mole is not completely removed, that is, without these roots, then it is they that are capable of becoming the center of localization of the future tumor.
In addition, if the process of turning from a mole into a melanoma is already running, it is extremely undesirable to intervene in it. This will only accelerate the appearance of malignancy. Reflecting on the problem of whether it is dangerous to remove moles, we must first proceed from the fact that it is safer in this particular case - to leave it or remove it. And it is worth emphasizing once again: in this matter, you must trust only to doctors.
How to remove a mole
There are several ways to remove it. This is a laser, electric current, liquid nitrogen, radio wave method and surgical intervention. Each of them has its own characteristics, indications and contraindications. Each of these methods will be considered in more detail below.
Laser Removal
Such a correction is good for small birthmarks, especially those that appeared on the face. Removing a mole on the face with a laser is as simple as possible, in addition, the laser does not leave scars, and this is, perhaps, especially important for the face. This method has many advantages. For example, the laser does not penetrate the skin and does not damage healthy tissue around the birthmark. It does not hurt at all and does not cause irritation and especially bleeding. In addition, rehabilitation after such an intervention is only five to seven days.
Remove the mole on the face with a laser quickly and painlessly. The whole operation consists in the fact that it is eliminated in layers, until the micro-ear appears. If the education is small, the procedure will take one session, moreover, less than a minute; if more - a little longer. It is important to take breaks between procedures at least a couple of weeks. However, laser correction cannot be used with reduced immunity, as well as inflammation of the skin. After the operation, which usually takes place without complications, it is advisable not to be in the sun without a special cream and not to sunbathe in the solarium for two to three months.
Electrocoagulation Removal
Another way to remove a mole is electrocoagulation, or electric current, or rather, its effect. The electric current method is good for moles with a so-called leg (there are some). The essence of the operation is the thermal treatment of moles. The advantages of this method are the minimized risk of infection, a short procedure time, quick rehabilitation, and the absence of scars after surgery. Electrocoagulation is used for small moles, however, it must be remembered that in the presence of herpes, malignant tumors, hemophilia, individual intolerance to electric shock, chronic infections, the use of the electric current method is prohibited.
After the operation, the wound should also be protected from sunlight and ultraviolet rays in the same way, in addition, it is necessary to treat it with brilliant green for several days.
Surgical removal
You can remove moles with a scalpel. Unlike previous methods, this one is great for large formations. Its indisputable advantage is one hundred percent result and the absence of relapse, of course, provided that everything is done correctly. In addition, although surgical intervention is traumatic, it is safe for the patient, and also quite inexpensive in cost.
Indications for surgical removal are also flat moles, spots, divided into several parts, as well as those cases where the removal of formations in other ways is impossible. The only negative - after the operation, there will be a scar.
Radio wave removal
Both on the body and on the face, you can remove the mole by the radio wave method, which is suitable for formations of any kind and type. This is the most effective and gentle method, which, of course, is its main advantage. High-frequency waves seem to rip the skin with the help of thermal energy, as a result of which the cells with melanin literally evaporate in the air. All exposure occurs without direct contact with the skin. The advantages of this method are the absence of pain, bleeding, and the speed of the operation. However, you can not remove the mole in this way, if there is a pacemaker, there are inflammatory processes on the skin (including the chronic type), as well as during pregnancy and lactation.
After the intervention, it is necessary to treat the skin three times a day with an antiseptic and, of course, hide it from the sun and ultraviolet radiation.
Liquid Nitrogen Removal
A great option on how to remove a mole is liquid nitrogen, or, in other words, cryodestruction. This method is good for flat formations. It consists in exposure to cold using liquid nitrogen. Its boiling point is almost two hundred degrees below zero, so the cold is really atrocious. Fortunately, the operation takes from half a minute to two.
This method has many advantages - speed, painlessness, almost zero risk of infection. Is it possible to remove moles on the face with the help of cold? Of course, yes - both on the face and on the body. But only if there are inflammations on the skin near the necessary place, if the patient does not tolerate cold, if he has infectious diseases, it is better to refrain from cryodestruction.
After the operation, the mole turns white and ceases to be soft, and the skin around turns red, a crust may appear. The full process of wound healing lasts a month and a half - rehabilitation in this method is quite lengthy.
Removal at home
Many are interested in the question of how to remove a mole at home. The answer has already been given above, but it should be emphasized again: nothing. At home, it is strictly forbidden to remove birthmarks. In no case should you try to tear them off or scratch them, it will only cause bleeding and provoke an infection. If it so happened that the mole broke off unintentionally, it is necessary to immediately treat it with hydrogen peroxide and immediately consult a doctor.
Interesting Facts
- The mole of dark color is called "nevus".
- In ancient times, it was believed that moles possess magical properties. By the way they are located on the human body, people were guessed, predicted fate, determined available talents.
- There is a belief that the more moles a person has, the richer he will be.
There are a lot of options on how to remove a mole. The patient who decided on this procedure, in the absence of any contraindications, is free to choose the method of eliminating the stain. However, it is important to remember: measure one hundred times, cut one. And you need to really think carefully before you part with your moles.