are moles prone to cancer?
18191
Number of Moles 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.
722213
Image Credit: National Cancer Institute, January 2013. Healthy moles and other skin cancers contain melanin, but amelanotic melanoma growths cannot produce melanin and therefore lack pigment. This usually results in a very pale pink or reddish lesion. Amelanotic melanoma is a relatively uncommon form of cancer.
380902
Most people have moles, and almost all moles are harmless. But it's important to recognize changes in a mole – such as in its size, shape, color, or texture – that can suggest a melanoma may be developing.
1117208
Short answer: Yes. “There are normal changes that can occur in moles,” Kohen says. “For example, moles on the face can start out as brown patches, and over time as we grow older, these moles can raise up, lose color and simply become flesh-colored bumps.” Moles can lighten or darken in color, and raise or flatten.
18837
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).
105608
Most moles occur on parts of the body that are exposed to the sun (ultraviolet radiation), and the number of moles an individual has may increase after extended time in the sun. Moles usually begin to occur in childhood.
394134
“Having a lot of moles is a sign of having a greater probability of skin cancer,” said Kristina Callis-Duffin, MD, assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Utah. “An abundance of moles means your skin cells are particularly active, which can increase the risk of cells becoming cancerous."
78493
The vast majority of moles are not dangerous. Moles that are more likely to be cancer are those that look different than other existing moles or those that first appear after age 25. If you notice changes in a mole's color, height, size, or shape, you should have a dermatologist (skin doctor) evaluate it.
521772
But size is not a sure sign of melanoma. A healthy mole can be larger than 6mm in diameter, and a cancerous mole can be smaller than this.
685837
Moles are not dangerous to people. They are, however, dangerous to the lawn and landscapes that they are invading. They can cause significant, costly damage to the root system of grasses and ornamental plants as they create their tunnels and forage for food.
382103
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.
252135
Almost everyone has some moles, and nearly all of them are harmless. A normal mole, like the one pictured here, is usually an evenly colored brown, tan, or black spot on the skin. It can be either flat or raised, round or oval. Melanoma is a cancer that begins in the cells that give skin its color.
248379
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.
472498
Some atypical (as well as common) moles can change into melanoma, but most atypical moles will never change to cancer. In fact, melanoma is more likely to develop as a new, unusual spot on normal skin, unrelated to moles. For this reason, having moles removed will not prevent melanoma.
206467
They can be anywhere on your body, alone or in groups. Almost all moles are benign (noncancerous). But new moles in an adult are more likely to become cancerous than old moles. If a new mole appears when you're older, or if a mole changes in appearance, you should see a dermatologist to make sure it's not cancerous.
1123401
Squamous Cell Carcinoma A normal mole, like the one pictured here, is usually an evenly colored brown, tan, or black spot on the skin. It can be either flat or raised, round or oval. Melanoma is a cancer that begins in the cells that give skin its color. Normal moles also develop from these skin cells.
983207
A mole can bleed if it gets caught on something and is torn. While this can hurt, it is not usually anything to worry about. In rare cases, a mole bleeds for no apparent reason, and this can be a sign of skin cancer. It is common for adults to have between 10 and 40 moles.