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Moles,
known
medically
as nevi,
are
clusters
of
pigmented
cells that
often
appear as
small,
dark brown
spots on
your
torso,
face, arms
and legs.
But moles
can come
in a range
of colors
and can
develop
virtually
anywhere,
including
your
scalp,
armpits,
under your
nails, and
between
your
fingers
and toes.
Most
people
have
between 10
and 40
moles,
although
the number
you have
may change
throughout
life. New
moles can
appear
into
mid-adulthood,
and
because
moles last
about 50
years,
some moles
may
disappear
as you
age.
The great
majority
of moles
are
harmless,
but in
rare
cases,
moles may
become
cancerous.
Monitoring
moles and
other
pigmented
patches is
an
important
step in
the
diagnosis
of skin
cancer,
especially
malignant
melanoma.
Although
not all
melanomas
develop
from
pre-existing
moles,
many begin
in or near
a mole or
other dark
spot on
the skin.
Types
of Moles
-
Congenital
nevi
-
About
1-3%
of
all
babies
have
one
or
more
of
these
types
of
moles
at
birth.
-
Junctional
moles,
which
are
usually
brown
and
may
be
flat
or
slightly
raised.
-
Compound
moles,
which
are
slightly
raised,
range
in
color
from
tan
to
dark
brown,
and
involve
pigment-producing
cells
(melanocytes)
in
both
the
upper
and
lower
layers
of
the
skin
(epidermis
and
dermis).
-
Dermal
moles,
which
range
from
flesh-color
to
brown,
are
elevated,
most
common
on
the
upper
body,
and
may
contain
hairs.
-
Sebaceous
moles,
which
are
produced
by
over-active
oil
glands
and
are
yellow
and
rough-textured.
-
Blue
moles,
which
are
slightly
raised,
colored
by
pigment
deep
within
the
skin,
and
most
common
on
the
head,
neck,
and
arms
of
women.
An
estimated
one out of
every 10
Americans
has at
least one
atypical
mole.
These
moles are
larger
than
common
moles,
with
borders
that are
irregular
and poorly
defined.
Atypical
moles also
vary in
color,
ranging
from tan
to dark
brown
shades on
a pink
background.
They have
irregular
borders
that may
include
notches.
They may
fade into
surrounding
skin and
include a
flat
portion
level with
the skin.
These are
some of
the
features
that one
sees when
looking at
a
melanoma.
When a
pathologist
looks at
an
atypical
mole under
the
microscope,
it has
features
that are
in-between
a normal
mole and a
melanoma.
While
atypical
moles are
considered
to be
pre-cancerous
(more
likely to
turn into
melanoma
than
regular
moles),
not
everyone
who has
atypical
moles gets
melanoma.
In fact,
most moles
-- both
ordinary
and
atypical
ones --
never
become
cancerous.
Thus the
removal of
all
atypical
nevi is
unnecessary.
In fact,
half of
the
melanomas
found on
people
with
atypical
moles
arise from
normal
skin and
not an
atypical
mole.
Moles
Suspicious
for Cancer
-
Those
with
spontaneous
ulcerations
or
bleeding
-
Those
with
symptoms
such
as
pain
and
itching
-
Congenital
and
giant
Nevus
or
Moles
-
Those
showing
changes
in
size
and
color
-
Those
with
unexplained
inflammatory
changes
-
Usually
occurring
in
junction
and
compound
moles
Treatment
Surgical
excision
should be
done where
cancer is
a
reasonable
concern.
Improving
cosmetic
appearance
is another
reason for
excision,
but all
surgery
leaves
some
scarring.
Smaller
nevi can
be "shaved
off".
Larger
ones can
be cut out
directly
and the
wound
edges sewn
together.
Much
larger
nevi may
be excised
in stages
by taking
a little
more out
each time
until the
entire
nevus is
removed.
This is
called
"serial
excision."
Cutting
out very
large nevi
will leave
behind a
raw area
that is
too big to
be sewn
together
and must
be
covered.
This can
be done
with a
split
thickness
skin graft
from some
other
normal
area of
the body.
The
skin-grafted
area will
have
varying
degrees of
scarring
and will
usually be
thinner
and more
fragile
than
normal
skin.
If you
need more
information
or would
like to
schedule
and
appointment
for a
consultation,
please
click here
to contact
us or
call one
of our
offices
at:
(212)
593-1818
New York
(516)
512-7616
Long
Island |
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