Cancerous Moles: Signs and Symptoms

Cancerous moles are types of skin tumors which can prove to be fatal if not treated in time. The following article talks about the cancerous moles symptoms and the ways to detect them.

Moles on skin appear in an early age or early years of adulthood. All moles are not cancerous but some of them can become cancerous after a period of time. People who get skin moles in adulthood should be more careful as it is a little unusual to get moles in that age and that might lead to melanoma skin cancer (serious kind of skin cancer or tumor). Thus, it is necessary to keep a check on cancerous moles symptoms on a regular basis.

Cancerous Moles: What Do They Look Like?

Skin moles are brown, tan or pink in color and appear to be smooth and either flat or raised. They can also appear flat initially and become elevated over time. Normal moles are generally oval or round in shape. Moles may sometimes be similar to the person's skin color too. Cancerous moles generally look different when compared to normal moles and you can find a difference in color, shape or size. Therefore, it is very important to notice all these differences in case you have moles on your skin. Some moles appear on the skin due to sun exposure and they look different from each other. They may not be cancerous initially but can become so over a period of time. These cancerous moles freckles should be treated in time.

Cancerous Moles: Symptoms

There are certain cancerous moles symptoms which everyone must be careful about. Let us see the different cancerous moles signs which can be recognized easily.

Elevation

The mole or a part of it will be raised or elevated. Melanoma blisters mostly change very rapidly in size. If you see any changes in moles like if they increase or decrease in size, itch, change color or bleed then consult a doctor immediately.

Diameter

Normal moles are usually less than 6 millimeters. Consult a dermatologist if your mole appears to be larger than the mentioned size. This is one of the common cancerous moles signs.

Color

A normal mole is typically of the same color throughout. A suspicious mole, on the other hand, will be of different shades of either the same color or of different colors. Thus, cancerous moles scalp will have different colors like shades of brown, tan, black, blue or red. This is one of the cancerous moles symptoms which is quite prominent and needs to be acknowledged immediately.

Borders

Melanoma lesions mostly have uneven borders. If your mole has a uneven border, that is, if it appears blurred then consult a doctor immediately.

Asymmetry

Moles look the same if divided into two halves. This is one of the trickiest cancerous moles signs. Divide your mole into two equal halves (in your imagination of course). Now compare the two halves with each other. If you find them different in any way, consult a dermatologist.

Cancerous Moles: Precaution

It is advised to check your body every month if you have moles. Men generally get moles on their back while women on their lower leg. But, it is better if you check your entire body specially after having a bath or when your skin is wet. Check areas like your neck, arm pits and area behind your knees where the moles will not be easily noticeable.

Cancerous Moles: Treatment

The doctors will remove a tissue as a sample for testing. If the mole turns out to be a cancerous one, the doctor will remove the mole and the skin around it. You might need a few stitches to close the wound after the mole removal. Skin mole removal is quite painful and will require anesthesia. Additional treatment might be required in some cases. Skin cancer or melanoma can be cured if detected early otherwise, the treatment becomes very difficult with less chances of survival. People with cancerous moles should be careful even after the treatment as there are chances of it recurring. They should go for a check up at least once a year. Read on home remedies for removing skin moles.

Thus, these were the cancerous moles symptoms which should not be ignored as they can prove to be dangerous. You need to check for them carefully before it becomes too late.