What are moles called scientifically? (English)

What is a mole? This is a type of congenital or acquired benign tumor that forms on the surface of the skin.

A mole can be located on any part of the body, has several color options, and most often does not cause discomfort.

A mole as a phenomenon is familiar to every person. In 90% of cases, moles on the body are absolutely safe and do not cause harm to human health. In some cases, with certain changes in the body, a mole may degenerate from a benign tumor to a malignant one.

There is a kind of “risk group”, which includes those groups of people who should be attentive to all changes in the skin and monitor the condition of especially large moles. The risk group is:

People with very fair and thin skin;
Persons characterized by an abundance of freckles and various birthmarks;
People with a large number of moles on the body, regardless of their size and location;
Pregnant women;
Persons who have particularly large birthmarks, moles, age spots, regardless of location on the body.

You should not worry about the presence of moles or age spots: if they do not cause discomfort and do not show signs of degeneration, there is no reason to worry.

When moles cause concern

Moles and birthmarks for the most part do not cause concern - the formations on the skin, regardless of size, are painless and not sensitive, and do not contain blood vessels or nerves.

There are two main reasons for the degeneration of moles to begin:

Negative effects of ultraviolet rays
Prolonged exposure to the sun, lack of skin protection and systematic sunburn can provoke the degeneration of one or more large moles.

Mechanical damage to a mole
A cut on the surface of a mole, accidental removal of part of it, or any other violation of the integrity of the body of the mole most often leads to unpleasant consequences - inflammation or degeneration into a malignant neoplasm.

A healthy mole has a light brown color, smooth edges and a round shape. The surface of the mole is uniform, without bumps or compactions. The body of the mole is soft, painless, thickness does not exceed 1 mm or is completely flat.

Most often, if there is an infection or damage, the mole begins to bleed, hurt, and there is itching and burning around the mole. In this case, you should consult a doctor immediately. Also, each of the following symptoms is a reason to visit a cosmetologist:

Changing shape - any changes in the shape of a mole indicate a pathological process. For example, stretching the body of a mole to one side, the formation of polygons, pointed neoplasms;
Breaking the edge - a change in shape most often leads to disruption of the edge of the mole: blurred contour, wavy, bumpy, etc.;
Color change - Regardless of the original color of the mole, a change in shade is a cause for concern. Most often, moles begin to darken or acquire an unnatural shade - green, blue, red;
Change of structure - the appearance of roughness, compactions, bumps and tubercles on the body of the mole;
Increase in size - if a mole begins to increase in size, you must urgently seek medical help;
Discomfort - pain, itching, burning or redness around the body of the mole, discharge and bleeding.

If you notice at least one of the symptoms, you should seek medical help. If you consult a doctor in a timely manner, you can avoid not only undesirable consequences, but also the removal of a mole.

Ways to remove moles

If the patient's current condition, as well as the appearance of the mole, require surgical intervention, the mole is removed. There are several ways:

Laser
A quick and painless way to remove a mole. The laser allows you to “dissolve” cells without pain, blood loss, and also has an antibacterial effect. With proper care, traces of laser use disappear in 3-10 days, depending on the depth and area of exposure.

The procedure takes only a few minutes and requires only local anesthesia. The laser destroys the mole completely, regardless of its size and location.

Cryodestruction
Removing moles with liquid nitrogen. It is also an effective method, however, it is not used for removing moles on the face and areas with thin skin. The healing period is from 7 to 14 days. The procedure is painless, and with proper care, inflammation does not occur. During healing, it is best to limit exposure to sunlight, cold and moisture.

Electrocoagulation
This method involves “burning out” the body of the mole from the skin using an electric current. Electrocoagulation is a painless and harmless procedure. It is not used when removing moles from the face and areas with thin skin.

Surgical excision
In essence, it is a simple surgical operation involving cutting out part of the skin. It is used only in the most extreme cases, when the size and depth of the mole do not allow using another method of removal.

A mole, nevus, birthmark (from the Latin nevus) is a common skin formation. Most often, this is a benign tumor, which consists of cells of the epidermis and dermis. Melanocytes, pigment-rich cells, are responsible for the color of a mole.

Moles are quite rare in newborns. First nevi begin to form approximately from 3 months of age, A basic their quantity is being formed during puberty. This is due to the active release of melanotropic hormone.

This is interesting! During pregnancy, women can actively form new moles, and old ones can change their size and shape.

Description of the mole and its main properties

In general, the location of the mole is random. Neoplasm can appear almost anywhere (even cases of moles appearing on the surface of the eyeballs have been recorded). And yet, the hands, face and torso of a person are most susceptible to the appearance of nevi.

Sometimes, provoke mole formation may certain external influences:

Bites some types insects. Insects can introduce a virus under the skin, which stimulates the growth of pigment cells.
Exposure to radiation.
Ultra-violet rays. Exposure to solar radiation promotes the active production of melanin, a coloring pigment. When it is concentrated in excess, it can appear on human skin in the form of various moles.
Injuries existing neoplasms. Damage to a nevus can easily activate its growth. It can grow on its own, or give rise to smaller, daughter neoplasms nearby.

Photo 1. The location of moles is completely random. They can even appear on the eyeball. Source: Flickr (Lindsey Turner)

Types of moles

The whole variety of birthmarks in humans is usually classified according to a variety of characteristics. They are divided according to color, size, shape of the spot, as well as the degree of danger to the health of the wearer.

Classification of nevi by color

The color of the spot is most often associated with the reasons for its occurrence. The vast majority of moles are brown or reddish shade. Purple, black or blue growths are also found.

Pink and red growths

There is an opinion that red nevi appear after prolonged exposure to the sun. It's a delusion. Such moles are formed without the participation of melanin, but rather are a consequence of various disorders in the human vascular system. The scientific name for red moles is angiomas.

Note! A distinctive feature of this type of moles is that they are located between the dermis and epidermis. Angiomas are exclusively benign neoplasms, and over time they can disappear spontaneously.

Brown and black moles

The most common type of neoplasm. More than 70% of all nevi are brown in color. They owe this to clusters of pigmented cells. They can appear on any part of the wearer’s skin and have all sorts of shapes and dimensions.

This is interesting! Often, a predisposition to the formation of brown moles is transmitted as a hereditary trait.

Brown moles are also benign in nature and do not require medical supervision or special care. Nevertheless, These tumors need to be examined periodically. If the most harmless mole changes size, shape, or begins to cause discomfort, you will still have to see a doctor.

Blue and purple

These are nodular formations containing a large number of melanocytes. They belong to the group of borderline moles, i.e. are likely to develop into malignant forms. Most often found in women, located on the legs, buttocks and, much less frequently, lips.

Epidermal-melanocytic

This type of mole is recognized most common. To one degree or another, these nevi are present in every adult. They have clear edges and a round (less often oval) shape.

Borderline nevus

A common type of nevus, congenital or manifested in infancy. The main places of localization are the genitals, palms, and feet. The average size is 1-2 mm, color is brown (less often black or gray). Borderline nevus Maybe develop into a malignant form.

Epidermal nevus

The cells that form the body spots are concentrated in the thickness of the upper layer of the skin (sometimes, in the space between the epidermis and dermis). The surface is smooth or slightly convex.

Intradermal nevus

The most numerous type of nevus. More known as a birthmark. The color range can range from dark brown to black. The average size of such a neoplasm is about 1 cm. It can appear anywhere. The cells that form a mole are located mostly in the deep layers of the skin. Such moles are convex.

Jadasson's nevus

A specific type of neoplasm that associated with abnormalities in the sebaceous glands. It does not have any negative consequences for the body and is considered a normal option.

Epithelioid nevus

A type of benign tumor. As a rule, it is a single red-brown node with an uneven or smooth structure. Multiple formations are less common. Moles differ in their growth rate and fragility - can be easily injured and bleed. The lifespan of the neoplasm is quite long, and sometimes it can spontaneously change size.

Nevus of Setton (halonevus)

This mole is usually surrounded by a halo of discolored skin. Occurs in pregnant women, people with autoimmune diseases and vitiligo. Setton's nevus can spontaneously decrease until it disappears completely.

Papillomatous nevus

Such a nevus has irregular outlines. Size - a few centimeters. It is found on the scalp; the nevus itself is also covered with hair. Color - from flesh to dark brown.

Verrucous nevus (aka linear, warty)

One of the types of papillomatous nevus. Such moles have a more convex and pigmented structure. The surface is most often riddled with deep cracks.

Fibroepithelial nevus

The nevus is spherical in shape, about 1 cm in size. It may have hair. It can occur on the face and torso both in the form of single objects and in groups of up to 10 units.

Dermal-melanocytic moles

Some nevi have tendency to become malignant. In accordance with this, several types of melanoma-dangerous neoplasms are distinguished.

Mongolian spot

One of the types of skin pigmentation in newborns. The spot is located predominantly in the sacrum area, sometimes on the thighs and buttocks. The neoplasm is smooth, may have a round or irregular shape, the diameter of the spot is 6-10 cm. The color of the nevus can be blue, green or black.

Nevus Ota

One of the types of skin defect, which is a single smooth spot (sometimes a group of spots) of a blue hue. Localized exclusively on the face, and only on one half of it - in the eye area, near the cheek or cheekbone. It can develop into a malignant form, although such cases are quite rare.

Nevus Ito

In its clinical picture, the neoplasm is similar to nevus of Ota. The differences lie in localization. This type of pigmentation can be located in the area of the neck, collarbone, shoulder blades or deltoid muscle.

Blue nevus

Most often it is localized on the back of the feet and hands, in the lumbar region and on the buttocks. This neoplasm grows relatively slowly, but has a high predisposition to malignancy. There are two types of this pathology:

Simple blue nevus. Less than 1 cm in diameter, a dense single knot with a smooth surface. Despite the name, it can be of almost any shade - from light gray to black.
Cellular blue nevus. It has larger dimensions, grows up to 3 cm.

Photo 2. The color of a mole indicates its origin. Pink moles are not dangerous and often disappear on their own. Source: Flickr (s Clare)

Melanocytic

Initially benign tumors on the human skin. The main danger of this kind of nevi is very high tendency to degenerate into a life-threatening malignant form. If there is any change in the shape of a mole or its size, you should see a doctor.

Clark's nevus

This is a single spot or a small group of spots that have an oval or round shape. The neoplasm has uneven edges, and in its center there is a papular element that rises above the surface. The color is uneven, represented by a combination of brown, red and red shades. The size of Clark's nevus exceeds 6 mm. Area of distribution: arms, torso, feet, buttocks.

Pink melanocytic nevus

It is, in essence, the most common mole. The carrier is usually a person with a light skin tone. Melanocytes in such people produce a pigment that is not brown (like everyone else), but pink.

Mixed moles

The mixed type of nevus covers the epidermis and dermis. In some cases, it is mistaken for a border nevus, but mixed moles can be identified by their larger size and bumpy surface.

Combined nevus

This term is usually used to designate a mole that combines the characteristic features of a complex and blue appearance.

Congenital nevus

The appearance of this form of benign pigment spot is associated with disturbances in the intrauterine development of the baby, namely the work of the cells responsible for the production of melanin. Congenital nevi can be very diverse: with clearly defined or blurred edges, regular or irregular shape, and all kinds of shades.

New growths can be smooth or protruding above the surface. Congenital nevus most often has an impressive size - not less than 1.5 cm. Often there are larger (about 20 cm) and giant spots that can completely cover an entire anatomical area.

This is interesting! Another distinctive feature of the congenital form is that this type of nevus is not capable of spontaneously shrinking or disappearing.

Red moles

Appear on the body due to various vascular dysfunctions. Upon closer examination, it becomes clear that such a mole consists of several vessels woven together. They appear at a young age, when the vascular system undergoes significant changes. They do not have a specific location.

Hanging moles

Develop from epithelial tissue. They are a cone-shaped formation with an uneven structure. The color is most often close to the skin color of the carrier. The most common places of occurrence are the armpits, groin, and neck.

Lentigo

Medical name for flat moles. There are several types of lentigo:

Juvenile lentigo. It is formed during puberty under the influence of hormonal changes. Can be found in a variety of places.
Solar lentigo. Appears as a result of ultraviolet radiation, be it bright sunlight or radiation in a solarium. Does not pose a health risk.
Senile lentigo. Brown spots that form due to age-related changes in the body. They are located mainly on the shoulders, arms or neck of an elderly person. May become darker with age.

Hemangioma

This term means large group of vascular moles, the color and texture of which is largely determined by the type of vessel that served as the soil for their growth. Thus, capillary moles are small and flat, cavernous moles are, on the contrary, nodular and lumpy.

Convex, flat

How convex a particular mole is formed is determined by the location of the pigment concentration. If it is concentrated between the layers of the dermis and epidermis, the nevus will be flat or slightly convex. When melanocytes accumulate only in the dermis layer, the neoplasm will appear convex.

Photo 3. A convex mole by its nature is no more dangerous than a flat one, however, it can develop into a malignant formation if it is subjected to mechanical stress. Source: Flickr (Skin care).

Melanoma-dangerous moles

Melanoma is a type of cancer. A malignant neoplasm can develop, among other things, from moles, especially from those classified as borderline formations. A cancerous tumor can grow quite quickly and, without proper treatment, cause death. Fortunately, the source of the disease is always in plain sight, so the dangerous disease can be diagnosed at the very initial stages using the following signs:

Nodular formations.
Vertical development of a mole.
The appearance of cracks or pigment spots surrounding the mole.
Shiny surface of the nevus.

Birthmarks can be found on the body of any person. Usually these marks are not paid attention to, but in vain. LAny formation on the skin should not go without human attention. What types of stains are there, what can cause them, and in what cases should you seek help from a specialist?

In medicine, a mole on the body is called a nevus. This term refers to a congenital or acquired transformation of the skin, which is expressed in the growth or change in color of its individual places. Appearance of a mole very often associated with hormonal imbalances, ultraviolet radiation and various injuries.

Types of birthmarks

The types of moles are determined based on their shape, color, and overall size. In shape, neoplasms can be flat, oblong, round, smooth or with a rough surface. The skin color on moles can be light brown, any shade of red, black, and sometimes even purple, which will directly depend on the skin color of a particular person. The minimum size most often reaches 1 millimeter, and the maximum is very difficult to identify, since sometimes the formation occupies a significant area of the body.

Which moles are dangerous?? Depending on the threat to health, moles are divided into the following types:

Nevus is a benign formation. Such a formation most often does not cause any discomfort to a person, the shape has clearly defined outlines, and the original color does not change. Many formations belong to this type.
Basalioma includes a precancerous condition of the spot.
Melanoma. This name in medicine is given to all malignant moles. To determine it, it is necessary to undergo a thorough examination by an oncodermatologist and conduct a thorough diagnosis.

In the medical literature you can often find structural types and their detailed photos with descriptions. Pigment spots to the touch quite smooth, but in some cases may have a rough surface due to the small amount of hair. The color is most often dark.

Vascular ones differ from other types in different shades of red, since their structure contains vessels of the circulatory system; their shape is convex. The last variety in the structural classification is warty. In color and appearance they are more reminiscent of simple warts. The difference lies only in the nature of their occurrence. Warts most often have a viral structure. Women's skin is more susceptible to developing warty spots on it than men. About 10 percent of such formations may pose a serious risk of developing cancer.

Types of formations

Skin formations depending on diagnosis, exhibited by dermatologists, come in six varieties:.

Lentigo is a borderline neoplasm. They are small in size and general shape and resemble freckles in appearance. The main distinguishing feature is considered to be a darker and brighter shade.
The epidermodemal type most often forms in the intimate area, on the palms and soles. The shade of the formation can be different (varies from flesh-colored to bright black).
Sutton's nevi. The skin next to such a spot does not contain pigment; this type is easily distinguished from other formations. A spot on a person’s body can disappear on its own, and after some time it can appear again.
Dysplastic moles most often affect the body of a healthy person after 35 years of age and have a hereditary pattern of occurrence. They are most often found on areas of the body that are not exposed to sunlight. They can reach up to twelve centimeters in diameter.
Nevi are blue. Their colors can vary from light blue to bright blue. The most dangerous spots of this variety are cellular nevi.
A large pigmented nevus is considered congenital. Considering the fact that the neoplasm continues to grow larger as a person grows older, in some cases it acquires impressive dimensions. Most often it has a flat shape.

The human body can contain several types of nevi at the same time. Most of them do not pose any particular danger, but in order to identify malignant formations in time, you need to treat them with increased care.

How to recognize dangerous moles

A safe mole on the surface of the skin, as a rule, has a clear contour with smooth edges, is painted in a uniform color, and its diameter does not exceed 5 millimeters. There are also some risk factors, the presence of which in a person significantly increases the possibility of transforming a simple mole into melanoma. These include:

frequent sunburn;
light skin color and a large number of freckles;
men, especially at an older age, are susceptible to neoplasms;
relatives who had a history of malignant spots;
if a person has too many moles on his body.

A particular danger is the presence of moles such as blue and borderline nevus. They need to be given special attention.

In order to timely slow down the dangerous processes associated with such moles, you need to carefully and independently examine the surface of the body for changes in their appearance. Zprotect yourself from harmful effects A simple self-diagnosis formula proposed by dermatologists will help - this is ACORD. This abbreviation includes the main signs of the development of a malignant formation in the body: asymmetry, edges, overall size, color and dynamics of spread throughout the body.

A harmless mole has symmetrical halves if you imagine drawing a straight line through its center. For greater clarity, you can attach a ruler. In addition, it is important to understand what dangerous moles look like. Malignant moles will not have common boundaries; their edges are very blurred. The color of such a mole is uneven.

If, after examining the body, you find such spots, then you need to monitor them. Such formation very often changes its appearance. You can first measure the size; if after several days the nevus has increased in size, then this is a sign of a dangerous formation. Also, when a person discovers a mole, they should be alert to their diameter being greater than six millimeters.

Minor signs of a painful spot

The considered indicators are considered the most important in determining a dangerous formation, but there are also secondary ones that will also indicate a dangerous type of stain. These include:

The presence of an inflammatory process, during which the skin near the mole begins to acquire a red tint and becomes painful.
Bleeding, fluid secretion, crusting. Also, such formations are often covered with small ulcers.
Most often, moles increase in length rather than in width.
The surface of the spot begins to become covered with satellites (multiple pink inclusions).
Detection of a stalk of a nevus. The nodular type can usually be found on the neck, back and limbs.
A change in the matte surface of the birthmark and the development of a slight reflection on it.

External signs of a mole can only give tentative conclusions. Only your attending specialist can give you an accurate and correct diagnosis after performing a biopsy.

Consultation with a doctor

You need to know that detecting melanoma on the body at an early stage increases the possibility of a complete cure. Detection of any change, even not very significant, is considered grounds for visiting a specialist for a more complete examination. If a mole in the facial area begins to bleed heavily and itching develops, which gets worse all the time, then this is a very unfavorable sign. The situation can get much worse if you begin to feel a pulsation in the birthmark itself. Perhaps such a mole belongs to a blue nevus, which is very often modified into melanoma.

It is imperative to go to see a doctor if the birthmarks have increased in diameter so much that they only cause pain and inconvenience to the person when they come into contact with clothing. Sometimes the pain and redness is only temporary, but don't let your body confuse you. After some time, all the unpleasant symptoms will return again, but at this time they will become much stronger and more unpleasant.

Light skin, which has a large number of birthmarks, requires a more attentive and serious attitude. Deaths often occur when melanoma is detected late. Its main danger lies in the fact that metastases occur almost immediately, affecting the internal organs of a person.

Currently, modern diagnostics includes methods for identifying dangerous moles that are completely safe and painless for humans (good procedures are: x-rays, computed tomography, laboratory tests, biopsy). Large moles must be removed without fail to prevent any oncology from occurring. At the moment, their elimination occurs surgically with the use of radiation therapy.

Folk signs

At all times, people have tried to understand the reason for this or that arrangement of formations on their bodies. Such spots, appearing in different places, can provide an answer to any question if you know how to correctly interpret the meaning of their location on the body.

A mole on the face of men will help make it clear about their attitude towards family life. If you see a spot in the corner of the left eye, then it indicates a jealous character. But a man with a mole near his right eye will turn out to be a real family man and would never trade his family for anything. If the spot is in the center of the forehead, then this indicates increased love and frivolity. A nevus on the eyelid indicates high intellectual abilities.
Skin on the back with a large number of moles will show the owner’s grouchy, but at the same time open character. Nevi on the legs will indicate a person’s indecisiveness. But if they are on the feet, then their meaning can be associated with travel.
A woman whose moles cover her body or face can also find a certain meaning in them. Location in the lip area very often indicates a passionate nature, the skin of the cheeks indicates hot temper, but quick reconciliation. If the mole is located between the eyebrows, then the woman is endowed with great intelligence and excellent intuition.
After a thorough examination of her body, a woman is even able to determine how many children she will have in the future. By counting all the moles on the waist, you can get the answer. The skin on the shoulders and arms along with birthmarks speaks of good luck, success in work and a happy family life.
The meaning of the spot depends not only on the part of the body where it is located, but also on the general appearance and shape. For example, there is an opinion that triangular-shaped moles can be found not only in a person with strong energetic and extrasensory abilities. According to another version, the skin of indigo people very often has this sign. If this type of formation is located on the inside of the palm, then this indicates particular success in the field of communication. Finding such a sign on the head promises a successful scientific career.

In conclusion, we need to talk about preventive measures that will help reduce the risk of a mole changing to a malignant form. There is no need to injure birthmarks; if they are in a place that is constantly in contact with clothing, such a nevus should be removed. When taking a shower, you should use only soft sponges.

Moles that have a stalk or nodule are prohibited from being removed on your own, even if you think that the nodule is quite thin. Protect your skin from sun exposure, especially if you have a large number of moles. You should also avoid frequent visits to the solarium. According to the results, which were carried out in California, it turned out that from the first trip to the solarium for people at risk until the first detection of melanoma in them takes from 5 to 10 years.

What are moles called scientifically? (English)

What are moles called scientifically?