Discolored Moles on the Skin

Moles are called nevi. They are quite normal and are created from melanocytes in the skin. Melanin gives the skin color. Moles are small dark bumps and are harmless. They usually become noticeable in adolescence. The average adult can have 10 to 40 moles. Moles can form on the torso, under the fingernails, and between the fingers and the toes.

Shapes and Sizes

• Melanocytes cluster together to form moles. They can start out as a small bump but can grow to look like a wart. They can even grow hair. If someone has one mole, they usually have more. On light skinned people, they are mostly found in areas exposed to the sun. Moles can be affected by hormones. Pregnant women and adolescents may have moles that enlarge and darken. As people age some moles fade away.

  Normal moles are even in size, and measure about 1/4 inch. They are symmetrical, meaning they appear the same from one side to the other. The texture can be raised or flat.

Color

• The color of a mole can range from pink to flesh colored to light brown. The color of a mole can follow the skin tone. Dark skinned people produce darker moles. A normal mole is even in color. It can have faded borders, but they maintain the same shape as the more pigmented area. If a mole becomes discolored, it is darker in some areas, but not evenly distributed. This does not mean it is cancer. Atypical moles appear in this manner.

Atypical Moles

• An atypical mole or non-typical mole grows into odd shapes and colors. Some people have a tendency for these types of moles and it can run in families. They are not cancerous, but there is a higher risk of skin cancer (melanoma), for people that have atypical moles. Any change such as itching, bleeding, broken skin or pain should be checked by a physician.

Prevention

• To avoid risks of skin cancer, a sun blocker should be used when ever the skin is exposed to UV rays. A self examination of all moles on the skin should be conducted once a month. Risk factors are; people who have a family history of melanoma, and have more then ten atypical moles or more than 20 normal moles.

Skin Cancer

• According to the Mayo Clinic, signs of melanoma and other skin cancers follow the A-B-C-D-E guide developed by the American Academy of Dermatology:

  A is for asymmetrical shape. Look for moles with irregular shapes, such as two very different-looking halves.
  B is for irregular border. Look for moles with irregular, notched or scalloped borders characteristics of melanomas.
  C is for changes in color. Look for growths that have many colors or an uneven distribution of color.
  D is for diameter. Look for new growth in a mole larger than about 1/4 inch (6 millimeters).
  E is for evolving. Look for changes over time, such as a mole that grows in size or that changes color or shape.