Which moles are prone to disease?

Although more than 90% of the moles on our body are benign, some moles do have the potential to become pathological.

1. So, which moles are prone to disease?

1. Moles on the extremities or areas prone to friction

For example, moles on the soles of the feet, palms of the hands, groins of the thighs, where women wear bras, and the area where belts are tied around the waist... moles growing in these places have a greater chance of turning into malignant melanomas.

2. Moles with atypical appearance changes

For example, uneven pigmentation (the color of the same mole is uneven), blurred or irregular edges, unclear boundaries, left-right/up-down asymmetry, and a diameter greater than 6 mm all have a certain possibility of malignancy.

3. Moles that change suddenly and rapidly

For example, if it suddenly grows rapidly and the color becomes significantly darker, you need to pay special attention.

4. Congenital high-risk moles

Not all congenital moles are dangerous from birth; size is an important factor.

5. Mole in the nail groove

The nail groove is connected to the skin under the nail. The mole may grow under the nail and be blocked by the nail, making it difficult to see the changes. Moreover, if it grows on the extremities, it is more likely to become malignant in the future.

2. How does the terrible melanoma form?

Before discussing this issue, we need to first understand melanocytes.

Melanocytes provide melanin to the keratinocytes in the upper layer. If this layer of melanocytes is missing, it will cause vitiligo; if the melanocytes gather into clusters, moles will be formed.

Melanoma is a type of uncontrolled growth of melanocytes, most of which originate from the epidermis and penetrate into the dermis. Once in the dermis, they can enter the blood vessels and lymphatic vessels.

Therefore, if a melanoma reaches the dermis and multiplies, the cancer cells can metastasize to any part of the body.

This is also the reason why melanoma is easy to treat in the early stages (when the lesion has not broken through the dermis) but difficult to treat in the later stages.

3. How to determine whether it is melanoma?

We have so many moles of all sizes all over our body. Which ones are "good" and which ones are "bad"?

To help everyone better identify melanoma, it is recommended that you save the ABCDEF principles for self-diagnosis of melanoma.

A. Asymmetrical shape. Ordinary moles are generally symmetrical, but malignant moles can appear in various shapes.

B. Irregular borders. Ordinary moles generally have clear borders, while the borders of malignant melanomas are more blurred and often appear jagged.

C. Diversified colors. Ordinary moles are generally uniform in color, while malignant melanomas may have different shades of color, black with red, etc.

D. Diameter greater than 6 mm. If an existing mole grows in a short period of time and its diameter exceeds 6 mm, it indicates the possibility of malignant transformation.

E. Progressive swelling of the skin lesions. Malignant melanoma may be accompanied by surface ulceration and even bleeding during its rapid growth. Pain and itching are not a good sign.

F. A mole that suddenly grows larger and becomes more noticeable within a short period of time.

Check the moles on your body to see if they meet these characteristics, and don't let any bad guys go.