Some consider moles as a happy sign and give them a mystical meaning. Others panically fear that they will be transformed into a deadly melanoma, and rush to get rid of this "decoration." Around the moles there are still many myths, and people can not come to a common opinion as to what their purpose is. But in this article, moles are considered from a medical point of view, and doctors, as you know, are foolish not to trust ...
Originally from childhood
In common parlance birthmarks are the most diverse formations of the skin - from flat pigmented spots to bulging papillomas. Among them there are both dangerous and absolutely harmless, but only a very experienced doctor can distinguish them from each other in appearance. The most common kind of moles are scientifically called nevi. Nevuses are of different colors - from gray to dark brown and different shapes - from a flat speck to a convex "bump". They differ in size - from tiny, with a pinhead, to 10 centimeters or more. They can be smooth, covered with hairs, warty, with a wide base or sitting on a "leg".
The nevuses are located on any part of the skin. The main reason for their appearance is a genetic predisposition. Therefore, if the parents have many birthmarks, the child is almost guaranteed to have the same "marks" on the skin.
According to doctors, it is impossible to prevent the appearance of moles. But provoking is very easy. First of all birthmarks appear due to excessive sun exposure and hormonal changes in the body. Therefore, new "marks" can be found after a beach holiday or during pregnancy.
Dangerous signs
The main danger of moles from a medical point of view is their ability to degenerate into malignant neoplasms. The most terrible of them is melanoma, one of the most dangerous cancer tumors. Physicians around the world are sounding the alarm: the incidence of melanoma is growing at an alarming rate. According to experts, not least this is due to the fact that more and more residents of northern countries prefer to rest in hot resorts, although their skin is not genetically prepared for such a high level of ultraviolet radiation. Predisposition to melanoma is hereditary, but different causes can provoke the degeneration of an innocuous birthmark into a deadly tumor. First of all, this is the abuse of sunbathing and hiking in the solarium.
No less dangerous are any, even the slightest mechanical damage to the birthmark, accidental injury or constant rubbing on the edge of the laundry, clothing, jewelry or straps. The trigger hook for malignant degeneration can serve as a serious hormonal disorders in the body and disruptions in the work of the endocrine and immune systems.
Melanoma is very insidious. The process of rebirth can last several years. And in a neglected stage, dangerous cells easily spread throughout the body and almost instantly affect many organs and systems. If you miss the moment, it will be almost impossible to save a person. However, physicians persistently remind: in the early stages of the detected melanoma in time is curable almost in 100% of cases.
Care instructions
If you have many birthmarks, be prepared for the fact that skin care will have to adhere to some limitations. So, dermatologists recommend to abandon scrubs with hard particles and aggressive peelings. Discard the hard wool - it is safer to use a soft sponge, and convex birthmarks and do it gently with a hand. Skin areas on which there are birthmarks, you can not shave, remove the hairs with a depilator or tweezers. Hairs must be carefully trimmed with manicure scissors. The main thing is not to hurt the birthmark. Absolutely contraindicated solarium. It should be very careful with cosmetic procedures like skin resurfacing. If you like to go to a sauna or bath, be sure to consult an oncologist. Perhaps, he will recommend removing potentially dangerous birthmarks, because hot steam actively affects the skin and can provoke a malignant degeneration.
Caution: the sun!
In July and August - the hottest months in the year - the risk of degeneration of birthmarks increases many times. Oncologists are strongly advised to abandon a long lying on the beach and even on a cloudy day to use a cream with a sunscreen.
After bathing in seawater, always rinse off the residue of salt from the skin and wipe dry. Otherwise, drying out, the crystals of sea salt can give the effect of the lens and lead to severe burns of the skin and moles. Experts warn: it is impossible to seal birthmarks with a band-aid - this creates a thermal effect and only increases the danger of negative impact on the birthmark.
It is very important to remember: protective creams are not a guarantee of 100% protection against dangerous ultraviolet radiation. They only reduce its intensity. It is recommended to treat the skin with sunscreens every two hours. To apply them it is necessary for 20-30 minutes before an output or exit on street that the cream was absorbed in a skin.
To maximize the protection of the skin from the bright sun, dermatologists are advised to wear loose things from cotton and linen, which create an air gap between the tissue and the body, rather than a tight knitwear. Ideal - light panties, blouse with a long sleeve and a straw hat.
If you still can not give up sunburn, then get used to the sun gradually and limit the sun bathing in time. Dermatologists say: it is safer to sunbathe regularly, but for a little, than less, but for a long time, even if the total dose of ultraviolet is the same.
To delete or not?
Experts are unanimous in one thing: if there are at least minimal doubts about the quality of the birthmark, it is better not to risk and remove it. But only in a specialized medical institution, and not in a beauty salon or cosmetic center.
Sometimes doctors advise you to watch suspicious moles for a while and then make a decision, delete it or not. If you have many moles, it is worthwhile to take the rule every month to carefully examine all the formations on the face and body. This is the most reliable way to prevent skin cancer. You need to examine everything, including the palms, feet, ears, scalp. Ask your loved ones to help you examine the back, neck and hamstrings. It is curious that in women dangerous moles are more often located on the legs, in men - on the back. A benign mole usually has a symmetrical shape, smooth edges and a uniform color. If there were even the slightest doubt, be sure to consult with the oncodermatologist.
Another dimension
There is an opinion that moles are located in the bioactive points of the body, on the so-called energy meridians. Another version says that birthmarks remind a person of negative deeds committed in a past life. Some believe that the location of birthmarks on the body can be used to judge the malfunctioning of this or that body system. However, most doctors are of the opinion that the location of moles on the body is often hereditary in nature and does not provide information about any diseases.
Melanoma Risk Zone
/ Do you have very light skin, light or red hair, do you quickly burn in the sun? Do you have many birthmarks?
/ Did any of your loved ones have melanoma or other skin cancer?
/ Have you repeatedly received severe sunburn, especially with blisters?
/ Do you have birthmarks that are irregularly shaped or unevenly colored?
Do you have birthmarks greater than 0.5 centimeters?
/ Did you live or live in a hot country, where there is a lot of sun?
If you answered "yes" to at least one of these questions, doctors advise you to check regularly with a dermatologist.
OPINION EXPERT:
Nadezhda SHABANOVA, dermatologist-cosmetologist
Moles, or pigmented nevuses - benign lesions, related to malformations of the skin. It is important not to confuse nevi with fibroma - benign tumors of connective tissue, as well as skin formations of viral origin (papillomas, condylomas, warts). Have noticed that the mole has changed - has increased in diameter, has got an uneven contour, has darkened or, on the contrary, became more pale, the pigment began to settle unevenly? It is necessary to appear to the oncodermatologist. Traumatized moles are subject to mandatory removal. The procedure should be carried out in a specialized medical institution. The use of disposal methods, which are usually practiced in beauty salons, such as: cryodistruction (application of liquid nitrogen), electrocoagulation, laser resurfacing, the use of cauterizing solutions, is absolutely unacceptable.