Moles
Moles
The face of supermodel-turned-MTV commentator Cindy Crawford has been seen by millions. But how many people mention that she has a protruding pigment cell over her upper lip?
Translated into nonmedical language, that''''s a mole.
Only 1 in 100 people is actually born with one. For the rest of us, these round, deeply pigmented growths crop up gradually and imperceptibly over the course of a lifetime--usually in our twenties and thirties. As with freckles and age spots, the main cause is exposure to sunlight, says Darrell Rigel, M.D., clinical associate professor of dermatology at New York University School of Medicine in New York City.
Usually, in order to develop a mole, "you have to be exposed to the sun and be sensitive to it," Dr. Rigel notes. "You''''ll see that the inside of your arm doesn''''t have many moles, but the outside does."
Keeping a Mole Watch
While sunlight is one cause of moles, it isn''''t the only one. You can develop moles anywhere on your body, including sun-protected areas such as the buttocks and breasts.
If your family tends to develop these atypical moles, which usually appear at puberty, you have to keep an eye on them, according to Ronald Scott, M.D., radiation oncologist and cancer specialist at the South Coast Tumor Institute in San Diego. That''''s because some of these moles have the potential for developing into skin cancer--both the benign kind or more serious ones, known as malignant melanoma.
"If your mother or father had this type of mole and developed a melanoma, your risk for this disease is almost 100 percent," says Dr. Scott.
Early detection that a mole is changing can reduce your risk of having skin cancer spread to other parts of your body. When melanoma gets larger than the size of a dime, it has more than a 50 percent chance of spreading. So it''''s vital to know what to look for and to catch it early, according to Dr. Rigel. It''''s also important to see a dermatologist as soon as possible if you notice any of the signs of potential problems.
In addition, doctors recommend that you and a dermatologist take a long, hard look at your body at regular intervals. It''''s the best way to get the lowdown on what your moles (as well as freckles and skin spots) look like. It''''s also the only way of knowing for sure when something isn''''t quite right.
| Learn Your A''''s, Bs, Cs and Ds Taking a long, hard look at yourself every now and then has nothing to do with vanity. It''''s the best way to get the lowdown on what your moles, freckles or skin spots look like. If you see specific changes in moles, it could be an early signal that you should be on the lookout for melanoma, the malignant type of skin cancer. To help you remember what to look for when you monitor your moles, doctors recommend that you use the ABCD system. Below is a visual guide to help you identify these changes. If you notice any of the variations shown here, you should see your doctor as soon as possible. It could be a sign of potential melanoma.  A is for asymmetry. Normal moles are symmetrical--able to be split evenly down the middle--but a melanoma is oddly shaped, with halves that do not match. B is for the border of the mole, which should be smooth and regular, rather than blurred and irregular. C is for color. Normal moles should have uniform coloring, but a melanoma might contain a variety of colors, including red, black, brown, tan and white. D is for the diameter of the mole, which should be no bigger than a pencil eraser. |
If you''''re in a high-risk group, such as being a fair-skinned blond, or if you have a family history of skin cancer, you should examine yourself once a month. Stand nude before a full-length mirror and use a hand-held mirror to inspect your back area, suggests Dr. Rigel.
Keep a close eye on any moles you already have so you''''ll know when something changes, Dr. Rigel cautions. "If it''''s growing, bleeding, crusting or changing, something is wrong."
He also suggests having a doctor give you an annual once-over. "On your birthday, have your birthday suit examined."
See also Skin
