Moles: How To Know If They Are Cancerous

Moles seem to be a natural mark on our skin. For some people it distinguishes who they are and has become signature to them. For others it is something that they have been known to have almost their entire life and they don’t think twice about it. What most people do not know is that some skin moles can be potentially cancerous and may have to be removed.

Anyone who has a skin mole should think about screening themselves. Skin moles are commonly related to skin cancer. People who have many moles all over their bodies or have relatives that have been diagnosed with skin cancer connected to skin moles are more susceptible.

Skin cancer is a very dangerous and painful type of cancer that is usually caused by over exposure to the sun. It is important for people to use sunscreens in order to limit that exposure – but also to screen any moles they have. These mole screening tests allow you to have a chance to catch any sign of the cancer early and to treat it before it has the chance to spread.

Health experts urge people to keep an eye on their moles and to check it themselves at least once a month. The majority of moles do not begin cancerous – but they can always become infected. The cancerous moles can usually be identified by their unusual appearance. They will look different then the other moles on your body. If you notice a new mole appear on your body after the age of twenty you should be worried.

The types of skin moles that do not start off cancerous have the ability to become that way. If you see one of these moles changing color and the way that they look than you should make an appointment with your dermatologist. Also if any of these moles start to itch, bleed, become tender, or painful.

If you do not notice any change in your moles after a long period of time than there is nothing for you to worry about. Doctors have created a special formula to help people remember what to look for in a cancerous skin mole. They are considered the ‘ABCD’s’ of mole screening.

• Asymmetry – Half of the mole is not similar in any way to the other half
• Border – The edges and the border of the mole is irregular and blurred
• Color – The mole is a different color like brown, tan, black, blue, white, or red
• Diameter – The diameter of the mole is considerably larger than that of the eraser on a pencil
• Elevation – The mole is raised or elevated from the surface of the skin

If you see any of the signs that point to a cancerous mole than you need to make an appointment with your doctor or dermatologist as soon as possible. The doctor will be able to perform a skin biopsy on the mole and examine it. If it is cancerous then the biopsy will show how much the mole has been affected and whether or not it has spread beneath the surface of the skin.