Is that mole a cancerous one?
I have a few moles on my legs and I remember a few years ago during a yearly check-up, my doctor became quite concerned with them, but upon analyzing them she realized they were not related to skin cancer, but they were related to ingrown hair gone bad due to shaving.
You won’t find too many conscientious doctors who won’t careful analyze and keep track of the moles on your body these days because it’s a fact that 30 per cent of all melanomas begin as a mole and 90 per cent of moles have cancer-causing properties.
Moles are the result of overactive pigment cells within the deeper layer of the skin. You will have acquired most of your moles at birth, but most develop spontaneously during the first 20 years of your life, although they may continue to develop into the 30s and 40s.
When it comes to moles caused by excessive exposure to the sun, those are usually easy to spot because they tend to appear on those areas of the skin that catch the most sunlight.
The moles that are causes by excessive sun exposure are the ones you MUST be careful about because they may turn into malignant moles. You’ll definitely want to consult your doctor about them and you’ll also want to track them. You’ll be able to identify malignant moles if they are: itchy, painful, increase in size, grow in an irregular shape, change colour and become darker or start bleeding.
To be on the safe side, you should ensure that you have a yearly check-up with your doctor and you want to make sure that your moles are checked every single time in order to track any change.
We’ve covered a few other articles on skin cancer prevention that you might want to read again (or read for the first time):
June is skin cancer awareness month … what are you doing to reduce your chances?
Doesn’t sun tanning provide vitamin D?
Men are more sensitive to the sun than women!
After 40, sun protection is imperative
Spray on the perfect summer tan all year round
Photo by Luza Luza
Tags: Sun Protection | Photo Aging
Trackback from your site.