Should I Be Concerned About My Moles?

Moles are simply clusters of pigment-producing cells on your skin. Most of us have at least a few of these spots, but the average adult typically has anywhere between 10-40 of them. The exact cause of moles is unknown, but genetics, hormones, and sun exposure are all thought to play a role in their production. 

It’s fairly rare to have moles at birth, and if you do, they’re usually referred to as birthmarks. The rest develop throughout childhood and adolescence, with most of them popping up during times of heightened hormone fluctuations such as puberty or pregnancy. 

Typically, common moles don’t turn into melanoma, but your risk for this more severe type of skin cancer does increase when you have over 50 moles. But whether you have a lot of moles or very few, it can be easy to worry about one of them developing into skin cancer. 

Because of that, our team at Thomas Dermatology, located in Las Vegas and Henderson, Nevada, and Lake Havasu City, Kingman, and Bullhead City, Arizona, wants to review in this month’s blog how to check your own moles to encourage early skin cancer detection. 

Checking your moles for skin cancer

If you have quite a few moles or have a personal or family history of skin cancer, you should be visiting our office once or twice a year for skin cancer screenings. In addition to these routine skin checks, you should look for any signs of mole changes on your own about once a month. Changes in moles are often indicators of melanoma. 

As you check your moles, use this helpful mnemonic device called the ABCDE method:

• A is for asymmetrical: One side of the mole isn’t the same as the other

• B is for border: The mole has jagged or poorly defined edges

• C is for color: The mole has varying colors of brown, black, red, tan, or white

• D is for diameter: The mole is bigger than the size of a pencil eraser

• E is for evolution: The mole has changed size or shape over time

In addition, if you develop new moles after age 30, or if any of your moles start to itch or bleed, it’s typically a cause for concern and should be examined. 

What to expect from a skin check 

When you see us for regular skin checks, we begin by examining your skin from head to toe. We start at your scalp and work our way down to the bottom of your feet, noting each mole you have and walking you through a proper at-home skin check routine as we go. 

If we notice any moles that are suspicious, we perform a skin biopsy. We numb the area first and then remove the mole by shaving it off. The mole is then sent off to the laboratory to be tested for any cancerous tissue. 

Most of the time, moles aren’t cancerous, and you can simply schedule your next routine skin check. If the results do indicate that your mole is cancerous, we remove as much of the cancerous tissue as we can at your follow-up appointment and recommend any other needed treatment. 

If you notice any changes in your moles, don’t put off having them examined by our dermatology team. Schedule an appointment by calling your nearest office location or using our online booking feature today.