How dangerous moles look: description, characteristics, features of removal

“The more moles, the happier a person” - one of the folk signs says. Hence, each of us should be at least a little happy - it is probably impossible to meet a person who does not have such marks on the body. Many do not pay attention to them at all. And someone is worried - what do dangerous moles look like? In the article we will present in detail the description, as well as photos of malignant neoplasms on the skin, which can easily be confused with a harmless mole.

What is a mole?

Before deciding what dangerous moles look like, we will briefly familiarize ourselves with this phenomenon. Its scientific name is nevus. The first small such marks begin to appear on the skin in infants. Nevus is not inherently malignant, dangerous to health and life.

Its appearance is caused by the presence of melanocyte cells that accumulate melanin in themselves - one of the natural pigments. The color of the nevus-mole - pinkish, red, brown, black, bluish, also depends on its concentration in the particle.

The form of education depends on how the pigment is located, concentrated. Some nevi are located under the skin, some are convex above it, some have a “leg”, and some are flat. Most often they are still round, but the exceptions will not be dangerous either.

The shape of the nevus is directly affected by ultraviolet radiation from our Sun. Or tanning lamps - for those who indulge in such procedures. Hereditary factors will also have some significance.

In addition, one of the most common causes of mole formation is hormonal imbalance in the body. Most of all, it is typical for puberty, pregnancy and menopause in women.

What can be nevi?

To determine what dangerous moles look like, we need to be a little able to classify nevi. Indeed, even on the body of one person, they will be heterogeneous in several ways.

Specialists offer several classifications of moles:

• The origin of education is acquired and congenital.
• At the place of formation - in the depths of the skin, on the surface, in the boundary layers.
• By structure - vascular or pigmented.
• By elevation above the skin - smooth, flat, having a "leg", protruding hemispheres. Separately, birthmarks are large.
• By potential danger - safe, degenerating into melanoma, with alarming signs.

Signs of a Safe Mole

What dangerous moles look like, we will tell you and show them later. Here we give a description of the dark marks on the body, whose presence should not cause you concern for your health:

• The mole rests on the "leg" - malignant cells do not form such a "transitional" formation, as they grow randomly.
• A spot exists for a long time on the skin without changes - shade, shape, size.
• If the mark appeared in the newborn, then this is also not a reason for concern for the baby’s health - the main thing is that the mole is small.
• Nude nevus
• The color of the skin around the mole is unchanged.
• By its consistency, the mole is soft, uniform, without any seals.
• If hairs grow from the nevus, then this is also a good sign - they do not appear on a malignant formation.
• Symmetric mark, has the shape of a speck.
• The diameter of the formation is not more than 5 mm.
  

Signs of a dangerous mole

However, we still advise you to monitor the nevus on your skin. You need to know the signs that indicate that a harmless mark develops into a health hazard. What dangerous moles look like (photos are presented in sections):

• Nevus darkened or became multicolor.
• The mark increases in size - more than 2 mm per year.
• On the surface of the formation you notice cracks.
• The mole is asymmetric - due to its uneven, random growth.
• The skin at the site of the nevus ceased to be elastic.
• You feel discomfort in the location of the mole - burning, itching.

Knowing what dangerous moles look like (photos will help you visually compare the formation with a malignant one), if even the slightest suspicion arises, pay a visit to a specialist as soon as possible!

What triggers the formation of dangerous moles?

A benign mark degenerates into a malignant one due to a number of contributing factors. These include the following:

• Injury of a mole through negligence.
• Too frequent exposure to ultraviolet radiation - you like to bask in the sun for hours, seeking only a chocolate tan in the solarium.
• Education is located on the site of frequent contact with clothing - on the head, in the armpits, on the neck and so on.
• Nevus is located on the hairline of the skull, palms, face - locations where it is easily invisibly injured (how dangerous moles look on the face - see photo in the continuation of the article).
• You previously removed melanomas.
• Independent disposal of a mole is the most harmful provoking factor.

What is the danger of a mole?

Unfortunately, none of us is safe from the growth of a harmless nevus into a malignant melanoma. This is a fairly serious pathology, which in the absence of timely treatment threatens a person with a fatal outcome.

So what is the danger of nevi on the skin? Here are a few points:

• Education can at any time develop into an atypical (precancerous form). Therefore, for example, it is important to know how dangerous moles look on the head (we attach the photo to the article).
• It grows to large sizes.
• Passes into melanoma - malignant cancer formation.
• It is very difficult to diagnose in appearance. Even if the nevus has only slightly changed visually, it can already widely spread metastases, which are carried by the lymph, blood flow throughout the body.

The development of melanoma from moles

In general, we examined how dangerous moles on the body look (photos and descriptions are given in the article). Let's look at the process of degeneration of the nevus into malignant melanoma:

1. The penetration of cancer cells deep into the epithelium.
2. The ingress of malignant particles into the lymph and blood.
3. Their penetration further into the liver, lungs, heart.
4. The growth of a cancerous tumor in the organs where it has settled.
5. Complete defeat of the body by cancer.
6. Fatal outcome.

Specialists distinguish the growth phases of pigment particles, according to which the nevus is degenerated into melanoma:

• Horizontal. This is only a lesion of the upper layers of the skin, which is not characterized by metastases. Such a disease can develop up to 10 years.
• Vertical. Then the cancer cells begin to spread deep into the body, through the organs. The development of pathology is about two years. Has poor forecasts.
• Nodal The most dangerous form. The disease actively progresses within 2 months, spreading deep into the tissues and organs.

First warning signs

Knowing how dangerous moles look on the body (you can see the photo throughout the article) is not enough. It is important to keep in mind the other first signs of a dangerous degeneration of the mark:

• The height of education is increasing.
• The mole begins to bleed.
• The skin around her blush.
• The incomprehensible nature of the discharge on the nevus appears.
• The tissues around the mole swell.
• The patient feels itching, burning on the spot marks.
• A crust appears on the formation.
• Before hard nevus softens.
• If the formation was flat, on the contrary, it thickens.
• Hair loss around the nevus.
• The expansion of the pigmented area on the skin.

Parents need to be aware of how dangerous moles in children look (their photos will not differ from moles in adults). Melanoma is important to identify at an early stage! Here are the signs of a running case:

• The size of the mole has already changed significantly.
• The place of formation begins to hurt.
• Lymph nodes increase.
• The emergence of new foci of formations throughout the body.
• The development of ulcers on the skin.
• Pigmentation sites bleed.
• At the location of melanoma, the skin is compacted.
• Isolation of fluid from a mole.
• The skin becomes earthy.
• Signs of the spread of metastases are chronic cough, persistent headaches, cramps, sudden weight loss.

Key differences between melanoma and a harmless mole

What dangerous moles look like in children and adults, it is important to know to everyone who is worried about health - their own and those close to them. This comparison chart will help you independently determine the nature of the formations on the body. Once again, we recall that even the slightest doubt about the good quality of the nevus is the reason for an early call to the doctor!

Now let's talk about how dangerous moles look on the body, consider their specific varieties.

Types of Melanoma

On the human body, malignant tumors can be represented by several types:

• Connective. They combine several formations into one spot.
• Halo Nevus. A pigment spot of this type will be surrounded by a white ring in diameter.
• Spitz This is a pinkish tumor with a domed shape. In its center, you can notice a small depression, a hole - through it outflows flow out.
• Blue. Seals of a characteristic shade that are located under the skin. They have clear boundaries, do not exceed 10 mm in diameter.
• Dermal. They are distinguished by their pallor and bulge.
• Nodal Flat and round formations of black or brown shade.

Types of transformation into a malignant tumor

We made out how dangerous moles look - on the back, face, head and other areas of the body. Let's now look at the main forms of transformation of a nevus into a malignant formation on the skin:

• Uneven mole. Often a person diagnoses a change in the contour of the mark - scalloped shape, blurry edges. The sign is very dangerous if accompanied by a rapid increase in size, the appearance of characteristic indented borders, pronounced asymmetry.
• Rough mole. In this case, the size and shape do not change. A sign may also indicate a violation of the correct diet, metabolism. But vigilance should be shown if, at the time of roughness, burning, itching or pain, compaction, areas of other pigmentation appeared. The most dangerous signs are: inflammation, pus formation, bleeding, asymmetry, rapid growth, blurred borders, pain during palpation of the mark.
• Large moles. It is necessary to especially vigilantly monitor their shape, size, saturation. It is necessary to immediately see a doctor in such cases: you injured the formation, the skin on it tightened, the nevus began to itch, bleeding from the mole was noted, it changed its shape, became asymmetric. If, however, an unsuccessful operation (and even more so an independent removal) was performed to get rid of a large mole, this at times increases the likelihood of its development into melanoma.

Delete

Getting rid of a mole yourself is very dangerous! The removal decision is made only by a specialist.

Many factors influence this:

• Education in places of close contact with clothing.
• The mark can be easily damaged.
• The patient feels a burning sensation, itching.
• Pain on palpation is noted.
• Changes the shape, size, contours, shade.
• Mole increases dramatically.
• Diagnosed with bleeding, inflammation.

Now you know what formations on the skin should not cause concern. As well as alarming signs of incipient melanoma, with self-diagnosis of which you should consult a specialist as soon as possible. Do not forget from time to time to check the condition of moles on your body, in the child, in order to avoid defeat by a serious pathology.