{"id":118021,"date":"2025-09-04T00:31:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T00:31:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/118021\/"},"modified":"2025-09-04T00:31:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T00:31:08","slug":"is-your-mole-changing-its-high-time-you-book-an-appointment-with-a-dermatologist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/118021\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Your Mole Changing? It’s High Time You Book An Appointment With A Dermatologist"},"content":{"rendered":"

By adulthood, the average person has between 10 and 40 moles<\/a> on their body. These small growths on the skin \u2014 which are usually round or oval in shape and\u00a0pink, tan, brown or black in color<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 are very common and generally harmless.<\/p>\n

But occasionally, an abnormal mole can be a sign of melanoma<\/a>, a relatively rare but deadly form of skin cancer. So it\u2019s crucial to know what to look for. (Non-melanoma skin cancers like basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas make up the majority of cases, but tend to be less aggressive<\/a>.)<\/p>\n

Melanoma can\u00a0develop from an existing mole,<\/a>\u00a0but more commonly, it\u00a0appears as a new lesion on the skin.<\/a>\u00a0It can appear anywhere on the body but the most common locations are the chest and back for men and legs for women<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The good news is that, when caught early, melanoma is typically curable, dermatologist\u00a0Dr. Darrell S. Rigel<\/a>\u00a0told HuffPost.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it is caught early, a simple removal typically suffices to achieve a cure,\u201d said Rigel, a clinical professor of dermatology and director of the Melanoma Surveillance Clinic at the Mount Sinai Icahn School of Medicine.<\/p>\n

However, once it has spread, the survival rate for melanoma is less than 50%<\/a> \u2014\u00a0even with some of the newly available treatments, Rigel explained, noting that this type of cancer \u201ctends to spread early in its course.\u201d<\/p>\n

Certain factors may increase your risk of melanoma<\/a>, including excessive sun exposure, use of indoor tanning beds, having atypical moles and having a family history of the disease. It\u2019s also more common among people with fair skin that burns easily, red or blond hair and light-colored eyes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

People of color are much less likely to get melanoma<\/a>\u00a0than white people \u2014 but are more likely to die<\/a>\u00a0if they do get it, due to a lack of public and professional awareness. For those with darker skin tones, melanomas tend to show up in areas with less sun exposure like the palms of the hands, soles of the feet or beneath the fingernails or toenails<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How To Spot A Suspicious Mole\u00a0<\/p>\n

To help determine if your mole might actually be a cancerous melanoma, use the dermatologist-backed ABCDE rule, which stands for asymmetry, border, color, diameter and evolving.<\/p>\n

If your mole fits one or more of the criteria below, make an appointment with your dermatologist to get it checked out. Don\u2019t panic: Most atypical moles do not become cancerous<\/a>. But it\u2019s worth having any suspicious spots examined to be safe.<\/p>\n

Asymmetry: If you were to draw a line down the center of the mole, one half wouldn\u2019t match the other\u2019s shape or size.<\/p>\n

Related: “I Know She Was Genuinely Trying To Be Nice, But It Was Such A Hard Thing To Hear:” People Are Revealing The Most Repulsive Remarks They Received That Were Meant To Be “Helpful”<\/a><\/p>\n

\"If<\/p>\n

American Academy of Dermatology<\/p>\n

If you were to draw a line down the middle of an asymmetrical mole, the two halves would not match.<\/p>\n

Border that\u2019s irregular: It might have edges that are notched, scalloped or blurred, \u201cmeaning the borders between the mole and normal skin are unclear,\u201d Seattle dermatologist\u00a0Dr. Joyce Park<\/a>\u00a0told HuffPost.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

American Academy of Dermatology<\/p>\n

A mole with an irregular border may have scalloped or notched edges.<\/p>\n

Related: “I Can’t Wait For This To Go Out Of Style”: People Are Sharing Popular Modern Trends That Are Actually Pretty Toxic<\/a><\/p>\n

Color that\u2019s uneven: Pay attention if the coloring is not uniform throughout. The same mole may include \u201creds and pinks, varying shades of brown and black,\u201d Park said. As it grows, you may even notice some white or blue<\/a> appears.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

American Academy of Dermatology<\/p>\n

A variety of colors within the same mole is a warning sign to look out for.<\/p>\n

Diameter greater than 1\/4 inch: Think the size of a pea or a pencil eraser.<\/p>\n

Related: My Doctor Forced Me To Do Something Disturbing. It Kept Me From Seeking Further Medical Care For Years.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Melanomas<\/p>\n

American Academy of Dermatology<\/p>\n

Melanomas tend to be larger than a pencil eraser in diameter, but can be smaller.<\/p>\n

Evolving: The mole is growing in size or changing in shape or color.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Look<\/p>\n

American Academy of Dermatology<\/p>\n

Look out for any spot or lesion that evolves in terms of size, shape or size. Other changes like bleeding or crusting are warning signs, too.<\/p>\n

Related: I Had An Abortion \u2014 And Didn’t Realize It Until Several Weeks Later<\/a><\/p>\n

Keep an eye out for what dermatologists refer to as \u201cugly ducklings<\/a>\u201d \u2015 in other words, moles that stick out because they appear \u201cmarkedly different from the rest of the moles on your body,\u201d Park said.<\/p>\n

Know that not all melanomas fit the above descriptors<\/a>. So as a general rule of thumb: If there\u2019s a spot on your body that\u2019s \u201cgrowing, crusting, bleeding or changing significantly\u201d have it looked at by your dermatologist, Rigel advised.<\/p>\n

The American Academy of Dermatology also recommends doing your own regular skin self-exams at home<\/a>. Look at your whole body \u2014 front and back \u2014 in a mirror. Then lift your arms and look at your right and left sides. Be sure to also check your forearms, armpits, palms of your hands, as well as the back of your legs, between your toes and the bottoms of your feet. Don\u2019t forget your nails, neck and scalp, too. It may be useful to have a loved one take a look at the back side of your body or any other areas that are difficult for you to see, or to ask your hairstylist to take a look at your scalp.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn order for this process to be effective, you need to take the time to learn your skin and your moles,\u201d Rigel said. \u201cFor those at risk for skin cancer, self skin examinations [are] recommended monthly. We also recommend this group see their dermatologist annually.\u201d<\/p>\n

What To Do If You See Something Suspicious<\/p>\n

The dermatologist will perform a physical exam, inspecting the suspicious spot with their eyes and also with a dermatoscope \u2014 a non-invasive magnifying instrument that allows them to get a better look at the lesion.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the mole looks suspicious for cancer, or if it has been changing or growing in size, the dermatologist might take a biopsy,\u201d Park said. \u201cWe use local anesthetic to numb the skin, then remove the mole.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Dermatologist<\/p>\n

Igor Alecsander \/ Getty Images<\/p>\n

The dermatologist will look at the suspicious lesion with a dermatoscope to determine whether a biopsy is necessary.<\/p>\n

This is typically done with a \u201csimple scrape,\u201d Rigel said, which is then covered by a bandage and does not require stitches.\u00a0Afterward, the skin sample is sent to the lab for testing.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe results come back from the pathologist in a few days and the appropriate follow-up can be done then,\u201d Rigel said<\/p>\n

Reducing Your Risk Of Skin Cancer<\/p>\n

To minimize your chances of developing skin cancer, stay in the shade when you can \u2014 especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when the sun is at its strongest, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends.<\/p>\n

Wear a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher that\u2019s broad-spectrum and water-resistant. And don\u2019t forget to reapply every couple of hours or after sweating or swimming. Wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses with UV protection and lightweight, long-sleeved shirts and pants can provide extra protection, too.<\/p>\n

And if you\u2019re ever concerned about a spot on your skin, don\u2019t hesitate to get it checked out by a dermatologist.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe visit is easy and most of the time it will turn out to be nothing,\u201d Rigel said. \u201cBut if it is something, getting it taken care of as early as possible is critical.\u201d\u00a0This post originally appeared on\u00a0HuffPost<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Also in Goodful: People Are Sharing Their Biggest “How Doesn’t Everyone Know This?” Facts, And I’m Honestly Embarrassed I Never Realized Some Of These<\/a><\/p>\n

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Read it on BuzzFeed.com<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By adulthood, the average person has between 10 and 40 moles on their body. These small growths on…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":118022,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[65810,65811,49,48,65809,84,59229,65812,61595],"class_list":{"0":"post-118021","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-health","8":"tag-american-academy","9":"tag-atypical-moles","10":"tag-ca","11":"tag-canada","12":"tag-dermatologist","13":"tag-health","14":"tag-melanoma","15":"tag-non-melanoma-skin-cancers","16":"tag-skin-cancer"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118021","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=118021"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/118021\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/118022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=118021"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=118021"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=118021"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}