are big moles always cancerous?
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Can a common mole turn into melanoma? Yes, but a common mole rarely turns into melanoma, which is the most serious type of skin cancer. Although common moles are not cancerous, people who have more than 50 common moles have an increased chance of developing melanoma (1).
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Although common moles are pretty normal and shouldn't always be a cause for concern, having more than 50 common moles on your body puts you at a drastically increased risk of skin cancer. If you have a lot of moles on your body, regardless of the type of moles that they are, yo ushould consult your physician.
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Most people have moles and they are almost always harmless. Although the first sign of a melanoma is often a change in a mole, it does not necessarily mean that all changes are melanomas.
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Some moles will slowly disappear, seeming to fade away. Others will become raised far from the skin. They may develop a small “stalk” and eventually fall off or be rubbed off. Recent studies have shown that certain types of moles have a higher-than-average risk of becoming cancerous.
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Doctors think your changing hormones cause these moles. Usually, new moles that appear during pregnancy are harmless. They often go away after your baby is born.
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Dysplastic nevi are moles that are larger and irregular in shape then the average mole (size usually bigger than a pencil eraser). They tend to have uneven color with dark brown centers and lighter, uneven edges. These moles tend to be hereditary (passed on from parent to child through genes).
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In most cases, moles are nothing to worry about, especially if you've had them since childhood or adolescence, which is when moles first tend to appear. They can darken or lighten, and neither occurrence is necessarily a sign of melanoma. Developing a new mole as an adult, though, is a different story.
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As we age there is still a chance of new moles appearing, especially when spending significant time in the sun. While not all new spots after the age of 25 will be cancerous, it is always important to monitor any skin changes. Moles can last for a number of years and may even have hairs growing from them.
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Moles and Your Skin It is normal to have between 10-40 moles by adulthood. As the years pass, moles usually change slowly, becoming raised and/or changing color. Sometimes, hairs develop in the mole. Some moles may not change at all, while others may slowly disappear over time.
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A mole found in an area prone to pimples may be just as likely to have a pimple form under or on it as any other spot of skin. Most people tend to have between 10 and 40 moles over the course of a lifetime. The more you have, the greater the likelihood of a pimple forming on one.
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Almost every adult will have at least one mole, and some people have quite a few of them. Having up to 40 moles is usually normal. People can have moles anywhere on the body, including on the scalp, on the soles of the feet and palms of the hands, between the fingers and toes, and under the fingernails and toenails.
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So, a painful mole is not always a sign of danger. And cancerous moles are often not at all painful. But some moles that become cancerous, which, in the case of a pigmented mole, means melanoma, can be accompanied by pain or unusual sensitivity different from the surrounding skin.
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Dysplastic nevi are moles that are generally larger than average (larger than a pencil eraser) and irregular in shape. They tend to have uneven color with dark brown centers and lighter, uneven edges. These nevi are somewhat more likely to become melanoma.
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Moles on a child's skin are generally nothing to worry about. New moles appear during childhood and adolescence. As the child grows, the moles will naturally get bigger. It's also normal for moles on a child's skin to darken or lighten.
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Some moles can be present at birth, but most appear during childhood or young adulthood. New moles that appear later in life should be checked by a doctor. Once a mole has developed, it will usually stay the same size, shape, and color for many years. Some moles may eventually fade away.
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Sometimes, moles are present at birth or develop during infancy. These moles, which are called congenital nevi, are almost always benign. Rarely, a very large mole, called a giant congenital melanocytic nevus, is present at birth.
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No. A dysplastic nevus is more likely than a common mole to become cancer, but most do not become cancer.