Every year, when summer arrives, the long days, the outdoor life and the hours at the beach, a recurring theme emerges. Nor are those spots that appear to be moles but are not really out of the dialogue.
Moles (melanocytic nevus) are very common benign skin lesions. They are not usually present at birth, although it is possible (congenital melanocytic nevus), and they appear throughout life (acquired melanocytic nevus).
These are the most common skin tumors in white people. It is estimated that the entire population has an average of 20 moles, which can settle anywhere on the skin.
Why do moles appear?
Moles arise from the cells that make the pigment that gives our skin its color (and that increases when we tan). This pigment is called melanin and the cells that produce it are called melanocytes. Hence the name melanocytic nevus and its color, in the brown range.
They usually appear in the first decade of life (around 4 years of age). Subsequently, they increase in number until the age of 35 or 40 and most of them disappear spontaneously and gradually after the age of sixty.
They appear as flat lesions or with a certain volume, less than 1 centimeter in diameter (sometimes a few millimeters), a single shade of brown (or at most two shades), round in shape and with regular edges. They remain for years with hardly any changes and are usually multiple.
Over time, some of these lesions become more raised, lose their dark color, and can be mistaken for warts, but are simply moles that have matured. To the touch they are elastic, like rubber.
The cause of its appearance is not exactly known, but the flattering factor is exposure to the sun in childhood and adolescence. In addition, there seems to be a certain genetic predisposition, often familial.
Benign mole or melanoma?
The problem with moles, regardless of whether we consider them aesthetic or not (remember that many poems and songs are inspired by them) is that very occasionally they can degenerate into skin cancer, that is, they can become malignant.
Skin cancer that arises from melanocytes is called melanoma. This can appear on a previous mole or on normal skin. When the melanoma is very small, even though it appears on healthy skin, it can also look like a mole.
And here the problem arises: how do we identify if a mole has turned into a melanoma or if a new pigmented lesion that looks like a mole is actually a melanoma?
It is important to distinguish in our skin between mole and melanoma. If we suspect that we have a melanoma in very early stages of its development and consult a doctor quickly, the cancer can surely be completely cured with a simple surgical intervention.
However, if the time of diagnosis is delayed, surgical intervention may not be enough. In these cases, the melanoma can spread to other organs (produce metastasis) and put our lives in danger.
And the freckles?
For their part, freckles (ephelides in medical language) are different from moles. They have the appearance of light brown spots (totally flat), a few millimeters long, numerous and grouped, which darken in summer.
Although we can see them on the arms or the upper part of the back, the most common location is on the cheeks. They occur more frequently in individuals with fair skin and light or red hair. Freckles do not degenerate into melanoma, but they are a sign that the person who has them has skin that defends itself poorly from sunlight.
Remember that skin type is inherited. For this reason, both the appearance of moles and freckles involve two major factors: genetic and environmental predisposition (exposure to sunlight).
Signs to identify a possible melanoma
Therefore, in order to identify them and prevent a serious disease, there are methods available to all of us. The best known is the ABCD-E rule, which dermatologists repeat every spring. This rule helps to identify pigmented lesions suspicious for melanoma.
This acronym recalls the concepts of asymmetry (A), irregular edges (B), polychrome or various colors (C), diameter greater than 6 mm (D) and growth or enlargement (AND). When we talk about various colors we have to think of black, dark brown and light brown, blue or gray, white and various shades of red, which can range from pink to maroon.
A very deep black, tar-like lesion is not usually seen in normal moles. White, blue, gray, and red areas within a pigmented lesion are also especially striking. Finding three of these colors in the same lesion is suspicious. When five can be identified it becomes very suspicious.
On the other hand, various alarm signs and symptoms must also be taken into consideration, such as changes in the size, shape or color of a previous pigmented lesion, the development of ulcerated areas, scabs or bleeding, and the presence of stinging or itching.
Sometimes some melanomas are not multicolored or asymmetrical. So fast-growing evolutionary changes are very important to start getting suspicious.
Another more recently introduced diagnostic element is the “” sign. It refers to the appearance of a pigmented lesion that attracts attention because it is different from the rest of the moles of the same individual.
Is it common to have to go to the doctor for this reason?
That of patients with melanoma is between fifty and sixty years old and is increasing more and more in older people.
In fact, it is one of the cancers whose frequency is increasing the most worldwide. Probably due to changes in the sun exposure habits of the generations born in the early and mid-20th century.
However, dermatologists frequently attend queries about moles in children. But melanoma in children is extremely rare. At that age, the important thing is to carry out and educate in a .
Despite everything, you should not be obsessed with moles. Everyone has them and only a few of them develop into melanoma. The estimated cumulative risk up to age 80 of a particular mole becoming melanoma is estimated to be among women.
But let’s remember that if you have such bad luck, you better be on time. Therefore, if you have a history of melanoma in the close family, your moles are very numerous (more than 100) or any of the above signs occur, it is better to consult a doctor.
This article was originally published on Read the