Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Do Moles Look Like?Common TypesCausesTreatmentWhich Can Be Cancer?DiagnosisRemovalProtectionSelf-Examinination
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Do Moles Look Like?
Common Types
Causes
Treatment
Which Can Be Cancer?
Diagnosis
Removal
Protection
Self-Examinination
Moles, also known asnevi, are small, tannish, pink, or skin-coloredlesions. They are larger than freckles or skin tags. Moles often appear as a color other than the skin around them.
Some moles are present at birth. Others can appear through childhood and adolescence. They can form in response to changing hormone levels or exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light.
Moles are usuallybenign(noncancerous) and do not threaten your health. However, some moles can change and be a sign ofmelanomaskin cancer. This severe type of skin cancer spreads quickly, though it can be treated when found early.
This article explains what moles look like, how they differ, and their causes. It also explains the appearance of cancerous moles and how to protect yourself from skin cancer.
Ivan-balvan / Getty Images
Moles are noncancerous skin growths. Generally, a benign mole has the following characteristics that do not change over time:
How to Tell the Difference Between Skin Cancer and a Mole
Common Types of Moles
The most common types of moles include the following:
Acquired Nevi (Common Moles)
Acquired nevi appear at some time during life. They most often form in childhood and early adulthood with the following characteristics:
Dysplastic Nevi or Clark’s Nevi (Atypical Moles)
About 10% of people in the United States have dysplastic nevi. These moles have the following characteristics:
Congenital Nevi
Congenital nevi are typically present from birth. They are present in about 1 in 100 people and have the following characteristics:
What Benign Moles Look Like
What Causes Skin Moles?
Skin moles form whenmelanocytes(pigment-producing cells) in yourepidermis(the top layer of skin) grow together in groups. They can be present at birth, but most moles appear in childhood and adolescence. New moles can also appear throughout your lifetime.
Moles that appear after birth typically form due to exposure to UV radiation from the sun or tanning beds. This UV exposure triggers melanocytes to produce melanin, a protective, skin-darkening pigment. UV light can also trigger these cells to cluster together and form moles.
Moles can also appear during adolescence and pregnancy in reaction to the changes in hormone levels typical during those times. Your risk of having moles increases with the following characteristics:
Freckles vs. Moles: Understanding the Difference
How Moles Are Treated
Most moles are not cancerous and do not require treatment. They pose no harm remaining in place without removal or other treatments.
Trying to self-treat or remove a mole is not advised. Doing so can alter the look and structure of the mole, making it harder for your healthcare provider to determine whether it is cancerous. Self-treatment of cancerous moles also raises your risk of scarring, infection, and spreading skin cancer cells if the mole is malignant.
Your healthcare provider can evaluate any suspicious moles and advise treatment as necessary. Moles that cause pain, physical embarrassment, or a risk of cancer are typically removed in an outpatient procedure that involves surgical removal, burning, or shaving.
After removal, all moles are sent to a laboratory for evaluation. If there is evidence of skin cancer, your healthcare provider will establish a treatment program to meet your needs.
When Should You Get Rid of a Mole?
Which Moles Could Lead to Cancer?
Most moles are normal and won’t lead to cancer. However, a mole can progress to skin cancer as a result of the damage that UV rays cause to melanocytes.
Moles are not supposed to change in size, shape, or texture. Contact your healthcare provider if your mole has any of the following “ABCDEs” of skin cancer:
While most normal moles on the same person resemble one another, melanoma stands out as an “ugly duckling” compared to the other moles.
What Are the ABCDEs of Melanoma?
Diagnosing Cancerous Moles
Diagnosing cancerous moles usually begins with a comprehensive physical examination that includes the following:
If your provider determines the mole may be cancerous, they will perform a skin biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. This involves removing a section of the suspicious area and sending it to a lab for evaluation under a microscope.
The most common techniques used to perform a skin biopsy include the following:
Types of Skin Biopsy
How Are Moles Removed?
A dermatologist typically removes moles. Before removal, the mole may be treated with an anesthetic to numb it to reduce pain. In most cases, mole removal is a short outpatient procedure that involves one of the following techniques:
Protecting Yourself From Skin Cancer
Protecting yourself from skin cancer requires consistently taking the following precautions to protect your skin from UV radiation:
Sunblock vs. Sunscreen: What’s the Difference and Which One Should You Use?
How to Self-Examine and Monitor Moles
You can self-examine yourself and monitor moles to identify signs of melanoma as early as possible. To get the best results, stand without clothes in front of a full-length mirror in a well-lit room.
The first time you do a self-exam, record the patterns of moles, freckles, and blemishes so you can compare and track changes in later months. Look at pictures of melanoma so you know how a suspicious mole appears. Your healthcare provider should examine any new moles or changes in existing ones.
How to Prevent Skin Cancer
Summary
A mole, also known as a nevus, consists of certain types of pigment cells that grow in clusters. They are common growths that are often benign and harmless.
Most adults have between 10 and 40 moles. They can be present at birth or appear later in life. When moles occur later, it is often in response to UV light exposure or changes in hormones.
Moles that change in shape, size, or texture can be a sign of melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer. Knowing what to look for can help you find signs of these changes before they become a severe problem. When found early, melanoma has a better chance of being cured.
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Cancer Society.What is melanoma skin cancer?
Beaumont Health System.Skin moles.
National Cancer Institute.Common moles, dysplastic nevi, and risk of melanoma.
American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Moles.
Mercy Health.What are moles?
Houston Methodist.When should I worry about a mole?
UC Health.Moles and other benign skin growths.
Skin Cancer Foundation.DIY don’ts: why at-home mole removal is a bad idea.
FDA.Products marketed for removing moles and other skin lesions can cause injuries, scarring.
MD Anderson Cancer Center.What to expect when you have a mole removed.
Skin Cancer Foundation.Melanoma warning signs.
American Cancer Society.Tests for melanoma skin cancer.
American Cancer Society.What’s new in melanoma skin cancer research?
Beaumont Health.Non-cancerous mole removal.
Kaiser Permanente.Removing moles and skin tags.
American Cancer Society.What you should know about skin cancer.
American Cancer Society.How to do a skin self-exam.
AIM at Melanoma Foundation.How to do a skin self-examination.
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