A mole (nevus) is a pigmented spot on the skin of various sizes that was at birth or appeared during life. Nevi are benign formations. As a rule, formations have a rounded shape and a small size, but they can also be irregular in shape and of various sizes. Moles are located on the entire surface of the skin. With malignancy of the mole, an oncological disease – melanoma of the skin can develop.
reasons
Congenital nevi are formed with any disorders of embryo development, as a rule, this occurs with improper migration of melanoblast epithelial cells, which accumulate in one place, change the color of the skin and form moles.
Initially, moles on the baby’s body are not visible, but they actively manifest themselves in the first year of life. The size of moles varies – from small ones with a diameter of less than one and a half centimeters to large ones with a diameter exceeding 10 cm.
The peculiarity of moles is that the smaller its size, the less chance that it will be reborn into a malignant formation. Giant moles are many times more likely to turn into melanomas.
Acquired moles develop for various reasons – genetic predisposition, changes in the endocrine system during puberty, skin diseases, including allergic ones, abuse of tanning beds and sun baths. Moles acquired after birth can change their shape and color, density and size. Some moles are flat at the beginning, do not protrude above the skin level, and then become more convex.
With age, moles decrease, turn pale, they are replaced by pigment spots of the “buckwheat” type.
According to the location in the layers of the skin, nevi can be different. There are mixed moles – they are located on the border of the epidermis and dermis. Intradermal – deep moles formed in the layers of the dermis and epidermal – superficial moles – melanocytes accumulate in the epidermis of the skin.
diagnostics
When changing the shape of moles, enlargement, the appearance of unpleasant sensations or bleeding, as well as all large moles, it is necessary to examine an oncologist and a dermatologist. If a malignant formation is suspected, a targeted biopsy is performed and the resulting material is sent for histological examination.
treatment
Moles are removed both for medical reasons and at the request of the patient, if, for example, the mole is located in an inconvenient place and brings psychological discomfort. This applies to intradermal moles, which look like convex balls, which undoubtedly spoils the appearance of a person.
Moles are surgically removed by exposure to cold – cryodestruction, or heat – electrocoagulation, using radiosurgery. Do not forget that any intervention in a non-pathological (benign mole) can provoke the development of malignant education.
Deep nevi are surgically removed. If a malignant area of the skin is removed, up to 3-6 cm of healthy tissue is captured along with it. Liquid nitrogen is used in cryodestruction. This method is more suitable for intrahemal moles – since it is possible to assess the degree of tissue destruction and stop the process in time. Electrocoagulation is the most common method, however, after removing large moles in this way, unaesthetic scars may remain.
