Safe Birthmarks
To better understand what a mole is dangerous, you first need to talk about safe nevi.
A normal mole looks like a flat patch of brown or black. As a rule, such birthmarks either do not protrude above the skin at all, or protrude slightly. The size of benign formations does not exceed the size of the eraser from the pencil. One of the safety indicators of the birthmark are the hair that grows straight out of it, symmetry, clear boundaries, a constant color and a diameter of no more than 6-8 mm.
Symptoms of dangerous moles
With safe nevi, everything is more or less clear, but how to identify dangerous birthmarks on the body? In this we will help the photo below, which shows photos of normal moles and melanoma.
Look closely at the main signs of an unhealthy nevus, this is:
- Asymmetry. Divide the pigmented spot visually into two equal halves. As a rule, a healthy birthmark will have almost complete correspondence between its halves, and the problem will be the opposite.
- Edges of the nevus. The boundaries of benign education (edges) should be of regular, even forms. If they "blur", uneven or have an irregular shape, then it is worth to consult a dermatologist;
- Colour. When the birthmark for a certain time completely changes color (from black to brown or vice versa) - it is a signal of negative changes in composition;
- The diameter should not exceed 6-8 mm. If the speck is larger, this does not always mean any problems, but there is a threat of their appearance, so it is recommended to register with a dermatologist.
Dangerous birth marks on the body: the reasons for the formation
Predisposition to pigmented formations on our body largely depends on hereditary factors. More than half of the skin formations appear on our body before the age of 25 simply because it is so embedded in our DNA and we will not fix anything. However, there are a number of other equally significant factors that influence the appearance of large moles that carry danger:
- Ultraviolet. Too intense sunburn will oversaturate the skin with melanin, which will lead to the formation of spots, and often convex and dangerous;
- Infectious, viral diseases, insect bites. Many doctors believe that these three factors also affect the formation of excess melanocyte;
- Hormones - another important factor that causes the emergence of unwanted birthmarks. A surge of hormonal activity (for example, during pregnancy) can lead to the uncontrolled appearance of dozens of melanin marks.
Convex birthmark in the child, if there is danger?
If the parents have many birthmarks on their bodies, they usually appear in children and worry about it, but it is better to consult an oncologist and a dermatologist at least 1-2 times a year, by registering. This will help to see the intensity of neoplasms, their growth and changes.
Treatment of moles, prevention
Unfortunately, in addition to surgical intervention and removal of degenerated markers in melanoma or those where there is a risk of transformation into a malignant tumor, there is no other treatment. Doctors advise people with a predisposition to the appearance of age spots not to stay long in the sun, do not visit the solarium, do not sunbathe. Thus, the appearance of new moles can be significantly reduced.