Skin Moles--Symptoms

Symptoms of Moles

 

The typical mole is a brown spot. But moles come in a wide variety of colors, shapes and sizes:

• Color and texture. Moles can be brown, tan, black, red, blue or pink. They can be smooth, wrinkled, flat or raised. They may have hair growing from them.
• Shape. They can vary in shape from oval to round.
• Size. Moles are usually less than 1/4 inch (about 6 millimeters) in diameter — the size of a pencil eraser. Rarely, moles present at birth can be much bigger, covering wide areas of the face, torso or a limb.

Moles can develop anywhere on your body, including your scalp, armpits, under your nails, and between your fingers and toes. Most people have 10 to 45 moles. Most of these develop by age 40. Moles may change in appearance over time — some may even disappear with age. Hormonal changes of adolescence and pregnancy may cause moles to become darker, larger and more numerous.

Unusual moles that may indicate melanoma

This ABCDE guide can help you determine if a mole or a spot may be melanoma:

• A is for asymmetrical shape. One half is unlike the other half.
• B is for border. Look for moles with irregular, notched or scalloped borders.
• C is for color. Look for growths that have changed color, have many colors or have uneven color.
• D is for diameter. Look for new growth in amole larger than 1/4 inch (about 6 millimeters).
• E is for evolving. Watch for moles that change in size, shape, color or height, especially if part or all of a mole turns black.

Cancerous (malignant) moles vary greatly in appearance. Some may show all of the features listed above. Others may have only one or two.