We've all got them-freckles, beauty marks, birth marks... call them what you like, every human being has some type of mysterious
"mark" on their bodies-in fact, the average number of "marks" on a single person's body is fourteen.
We don't know for sure what
causes them, but we do know that
they are not the result of a frightening experience the mother may have had before her child was
born (my mother has a turtle shell shaped birthmark on the back of her knee, and my grandmother swore until her dying day that when
she was pregnant, my uncle tossed his pet turtle across the room into her lap, scaring her to death, and that's how the birthmark
got there)-sorry, folks. Grandma lied.
Well, maybe she didn't lie, because to this day, nobody knows where moles come from.
However,
we do know that some, if not most, are harmless, while others could be dangerous-possibly even fatal if not treated. All moles
should be checked out by a dermatologist, but there are some obvious signs to watch out for if you're worried about the possibility
of having a cancerous mole. Some of these signs include:
- a change in size or color
- a milky, bloody, or pus like discharge
- the mole or the area around it becomes red or otherwise irritated
- crust or scab-like formation on or around the mole.
The American Academy of Dermatology has come up with a handy little ABCD guide to help you determine whether or not your mole
could possibly be cancerous or otherwise need attention.
A-Asymmetrical shape: if your mole was cut down the center, would they mirror each other? Asymmetrical shape could be a sign that
your mole might be more serious then a common skin blemish.
B-Border: an uneven, oddly shaped, or inadequately defined border.
C-Color: any sudden change in color, varied color, especially black, white or blue.
D-Diameter: common sizes of melanoma is usually about the size of a pencil eraser (about 6mm) in diameter. They can, however, be
smaller.
Recently an
E category has been added, for "evolving". Put simply, if you notice any changes in your mole or moles, you should
definitely have a professional dermatoligist look at it.
Atypical moles are as common on human beings as teeth, eyes, hair, and nostrils- everybody has them. Most are harmless, and present no
health threat. They can be easily removed via surgery or with natural mole removal creams such as NoNevus. Every mole does not have
the potential to turn cancerous, but some do. Therefore, the best thing to do is to see a dermatologist regularly, and give yourself
frequent check-ups. Keep an eye out for warning signs-the sooner you detect skin cancer, the higher your chances are of beating it.
NoNevus is not for removing cancerous moles, if your doctor says your mole is benign, try NoNevus mole remover.
