Moles: what they are, types, and where they come from

Most people have moles, and in everyday life we only think about them when a mole gets caught under a razor or shows up in the mirror. They are a diverse group of formations: differing in color, shape, height above the skin, and in which cells they grew from. Below is a calm breakdown of what is considered normal and what requires examination.

What moles are and what they consist of

Moles, or nevi, are growths on the skin that arise when pigment cells of the skin (melanocytes) grow in clusters. Depending on the type of nevus, the cells lie at the border of the epidermis and dermis, in the dermis, or in both layers at once. The color may be brown, black, red, purple, pink, or flesh-colored. A mole may lie at the level of the skin or rise above it and may appear on any part of the body, including mucous membranes — in the oral cavity, on the tongue, in the vagina, and in the anal area; in women such moles on mucous membranes occur more often than in men.

Why a mole appears and whether new ones can appear

New moles can appear — this is normal. More often they arise in childhood and adolescence, usually up to about age 40; in older people some moles fade and disappear. The causes have not been fully studied: heredity and acquired mutations matter, as does ultraviolet radiation (especially in childhood and adolescence), age, and hormonal changes — during puberty and pregnancy old moles change size and color. Infants almost never have pinpoint moles, but in the first years of life they appear, and they appear in large numbers during puberty.

Types of moles

• Vascular — arise due to overly rapid growth of capillaries and look like a change in the structure of the skin's vessels.
• Pigmented — appear from pigment cells when there is an excess of melanin.
• Congenital — small (0.5—1.5 mm), medium (up to 10 mm), and large, including giant (more than 10 mm in diameter).
• Acquired — intradermal (cells deep under the skin), epidermal (in the upper layer), and junctional, or mixed (between the epidermis and dermis).
• Atypical — unusual moles that look different from ordinary ones; they occur in about one in ten people.

Which moles are considered normal and benign

Most harmless moles are round or oval, with an even edge, and no larger than the eraser at the end of a pencil. They may be flat or raised, smooth or rough, and sometimes hair grows from them; on tanned and dark skin they are usually darker. It is normal for children to be born with moles, for new ones to appear in children and adolescents, for moles to fade with age, and for them to darken slightly during pregnancy.

Many moles on the body: what it means

Most people have between 10 and 40 moles. Moles occur more often on the face than elsewhere — this is a feature of location, not a "meaning": a person's character cannot be read from the location on the face.

When a mole should be shown to a doctor

A mole should be shown to a doctor if it has changed in size, shape, or color; if it has become painful, itchy, inflamed, bleeds, or has become crusted; if it has an uneven edge or more than two colors; if it is raised; if a new unusual formation has appeared on the skin that does not go away within a few weeks.

A mole by itself is not a reason to call an ambulance; 103/112 — if there are signs of a stroke or heart attack or a severe injury that threatens life.

This material is for reference: it describes what moles look like and what should raise concern, but it does not replace a doctor's consultation — the final assessment of a formation is made by a specialist after examination.

This content is for reference and does not replace a doctor's consultation. Medical disclaimer