4 Health facts about moles & bull; hello healthy

Try to pay attention to the moles you have. According to Chinese astrology, the position of a mole is important and can provide deeper insight into your personality, mental state, future and health. On the cheek, for example, indicates that you have a fear of family commitment, or if you are parallel to the smile line, this position represents potential danger later on. Under the eyes, is a sign that you are a very emotional person. Or above the eyebrows, it means that you have a fairly well-established financial stability.

Armed with this knowledge, according to Chinese astrology, you can prevent disasters and use them for success in life. However, there is of course no scientific evidence to support this claim. So, from a health perspective, what does the medical world say about moles?

Moles of many kinds

The term mole is used to describe blemishes on the skin. Many also call it a "beauty mark". The medical term is melanocytic nevus. Moles can have brownish, black, pinkish-brown tones like flesh, red, or similar to skin tone. They can be flat, blend into the surface of the skin, or be raised, hairy, have a smooth or rough texture. Usually a circle or oval shape with smooth edges, most moles are smaller than an eraser at the tip of a pencil (about 1.25 cm).

Moles can appear on various areas of the body - the soles of the feet, hands, head, armpits, even the genital area - as a separate entity, or appear in groups in one particular area. Most people have about 10-40 moles, although the exact number can change throughout life.

Moles are a form of benign skin tumor

There are several types of abnormal skin growths that are common in humans and include benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These conditions include freckles (brown patches on the face), skin tags, lentigo (age spots / sun spots), seborrheic keratoses, and moles.

Moles occur when melanocytes, the skin's pigment-producing cells, decide to cluster in one specific area - instead of spreading all over the skin to give the skin an even, original complexion.

This condition usually appears for the first time just before and during puberty. New moles can appear in middle age, and have an expiration period because they disappear after the age of 40-50 years, or suddenly without you knowing it. However, scientists have not yet been able to understand the reasons why moles can form or whether they have a specific function.

Why do some people have more moles than others?

The genes we inherit from our parents, along with the amount of sun exposure we have (especially during childhood) are the major determinants of the number of moles we have.

Moles can be present from birth or appear gradually during the development of the baby at a later date. Many children have developed moles from the time they were in the form of a fetus in the womb, until they reach adulthood. This condition is referred to as a congenital mole. Another possible reason, apart from genetic factors, is from environmental influences such as sun exposure.

Skin that is in contact with the sun more frequently, will tend to have more moles. However, moles can also appear on areas that are covered and protected, such as the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, or buttocks.

Moles tend to darken in response to changes in the body's hormones, for example during puberty (darkening and multiplying at the same time) and during pregnancy.

Moles can sometimes be a marker for skin cancer

Most moles are harmless, but in rare cases, they can become cancerous shoots. Reporting from the American Cancer Society, someone who has a lot of moles on the body is considered to be at greater risk of developing melanoma skin cancer than those who have fewer or no moles.

However, this allegation has been refuted by a number of health studies, one of which was a recent study published in the journal JAMA Dermatology in March 2016. Reporting from STAT News, this study found that people who had more than 50 of these birthmarks had a dramatically reduced risk of invasive melanoma. There is no perfect explanation for these findings, however, according to study lead author Alan C. Geller, senior lecturer at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health in Boston, melanoma can present with varying degrees of aggression in people with different numbers of moles- different.

This study shows that a small number of moles is not directly related to the risk of melanoma skin cancer, as well as hair growth, but the type of mole itself.

Characteristics of a mole that is potentially cancerous

Moles that are potentially cancerous, also called atypical moles, are usually asymmetrical with irregular edges, are flat or slightly raised, have several shades of color, and tend to be larger than 1.25 cm. In general, moles that are larger than a fist carry the highest risk, and many cancer symptoms start in the area around the mole or other dark spots on the body. If you notice that you have more than 20-25 moles with this characteristic on your body, you have an increased overall risk of melanoma.

The presence of hereditary moles that are larger than 20-25 centimeters can also signal an increased risk of this deadly skin cancer. Atypical moles are a signal of a potential development of melanoma, especially in people with pale, light skin.

People who have a lot of atypical moles may have a hard time keeping an eye on changes in their size, shape, and color - especially since this type of mole can appear on the back or other hard-to-reach places. However, not all melanomas will develop from pre-existing moles, and atypical moles themselves rarely turn into melanoma or cancer.

Monitoring moles, 'knots', or other pigmented birthmarks is an important step in detecting skin cancer, especially malignant melanoma. If you are worried about your mole - experiencing sudden enlargement, changes in physical characteristics, or bleeding - see a dermatologist immediately to have it checked.