In order to understand why moles appear on a child’s body and whether they pose a danger to the baby, you must first understand what nevi are.
It is a mistake to believe that “mole” is somehow connected with the word “birth”.
Most often, their occurrence on the baby’s skin is due to a genetic predisposition.
There are a number of other reasons why a child is born with moles, depending on their appearance.
Let's consider all the possible prerequisites for the appearance of nevi in newborns, and whether they are dangerous or not.
When do newborns get moles?
There may be several reasons influencing the formation of moles in childhood. Therefore, it is impossible to determine exactly at what age they will appear.
The first reason is heredity. If a mother or father has nevi on the skin, then there is a high probability that they will also appear in the child. In addition, according to statistics, moles appear much less frequently in men, unlike women. Thus, the second reason is the gender of the baby.
Basically, when a baby is born, there are no moles on his body. They appear during the first two to three years baby's life. However, there is another reason for the occurrence of nevi - the effect of sunlight on the child’s skin.
If a baby is born in the cold season, in winter or autumn, then the parents will dress him warmly, and, accordingly, the area of skin that will be exposed to the sun will be much smaller. Parents try to keep children born in the summer outside more often so that the baby can be exposed to the sun for a long time.
However, this should not be done. After all, children's skin is very delicate and permeable to ultraviolet rays, which can have a significant impact on the appearance of moles on a child's body.
Thus, nevi in infants can also occur due to exposure to ultraviolet radiation on the child's body. In addition, ultraviolet light can make existing moles darker.
Some hormonal changes can also cause moles on a child’s body. They can also lead to an increase in the number of nevi on the body.
If the cause of moles is a genetic factor, then they will not necessarily appear in the child immediately in the first few days after birth. At the very beginning they are simply pale and therefore invisible. But over time, the moles will darken and become noticeable.
According to statistics, moles also appear more often in premature babies and in babies with fair skin.
Types of nevi in infants
The appearance of moles in children occurs due to melanocytes, the so-called cells containing pigment. They are located in the inner layers of the skin. During their growth, they are able to acquire different sizes and shapes.
Nevi in infants are generally no different from those in adults. The color of moles can also be any color. If we talk about the size of nevi, we can distinguish the following groups:
- small moles with a diameter of no more than 1.5 cm;
- medium moles reaching no more than 10 cm in size;
- large moles exceeding 10 cm in diameter.
The latter are observed very rarely in childhood, but such moles are the most dangerous, in contrast to formations of a smaller diameter. Large moles are also quite often injured, and they are capable of degeneration.
If parents notice such age spots or moles on their child, they will definitely need to see a dermatologist as soon as possible in order to undergo further examination.
Benign moles include the following.
Red spots.As a rule, these are small formations that appear mainly on the head.
Basically, when the child reaches one year of age, they go away on their own and do not require any additional action.
Brown spots.
They are mostly flat and may also disappear over time.
Most often, such nevi are safe for the baby’s health.
Wine stains.
They are special moles because they consist of dilated vessels.
Such moles will increase as children grow.
Doctors recommend removing this type of mole with a laser.
Red moles.
Such nevi can appear either immediately after the baby is born or several years later.
Their localization is varied - they appear in any part of the body.
Moles of this type, as a rule, do not require treatment only if they do not increase in size.
Over time, such formations can go away on their own. But if the nevus grows, then it is best to remove it with a laser.
Strawberry hemangioma.
This type of mole occurs very rarely in infants.
Their characteristic features are their soft structure and bright color.
In children who have this mole from birth, it may gradually disappear or become less noticeable.
As for removal, this should not be done, because this is what can lead to more serious consequences.
Anemic nevus.
This is a small spot that most often appears on the back or face of a child.
As a rule, the reason for its occurrence is the underdevelopment of blood vessels.
If parents want to remove this mole from their child, this can be done surgically.
"Cavernous" hemangioma.
It belongs to another type of vascular moles and has a grayish tint.
You can see small capillaries on it.
Such moles do not require removal and, once the child reaches one year of age, they often go away on their own.
Hanging mole.
It is a benign neoplasm. It consists of epithelial cells and most often resembles a growth.
The color of the mole may be brown, but it may also have a skin tone.
Most often, the localization of these moles is the axillary and inguinal cavities, and the genital area. Doctors say that such moles can pose a danger to the baby, so children with such nevi should be periodically observed by a dermatologist. Some moles can develop from benign to malignant.
Reasons for education in children under one year old
We list the main reasons that can affect the development of moles in a child:
- genetic predisposition;
- gender of the child;
- bright skin.
When moles begin to appear on a baby, parents, of course, will notice them. Various features of the body can provoke the appearance of nevi.. This can also be affected by a child’s long exposure to the sun due to the influence of ultraviolet rays on the baby’s skin.
How can they be dangerous?
Of course, new moles on a child’s body will not go unnoticed by parents.
In some cases formation can degenerate into malignant in adolescence or after 50 yearswhen hormonal changes occur.
While bathing and changing your child, you need to monitor how moles react to this. In the future, perhaps, they will increase in size. As a rule, nevi do not cause any problems for parents to worry about if they are benign.
But you will need to see a doctor in situations where the spot on the skin will rapidly begin to grow and change its shape.
Moles located in places that are often subject to irritation, as well as on the scalp or eyelids, can pose a danger. If the mole is located on the face and is growing rapidly, then you should again consult a doctor.
You should also worry if the mole becomes lumpy and an inflammatory border appears along its contour.
Only a specialist during the examination will be able to determine whether a mole is benign or malignant. He will decide whether the mole will need to be removed or just monitor its further development.
Children very rarely have moles removed, because there is a risk of their reoccurrence. Doctors most often prescribe nevus removal for children over 2 years of age.
Is it possible to remove them from a child?
Infants have moles removed if they are often injured while putting on clothes or, if nevi are located on natural folds of the skin or scalp. In this case, the risk of damage to moles increases.
Usually, flat formations do not need to be removed. If the mole is hanging, then it is best to remove it, because if damaged, it can become inflamed and cause even more harm to health.
If the mole still needs to be removed, then parents should follow all the instructions of the dermatologist. No need to rely on traditional medicine recipes, because they are not effective in treating moles.
Today, there are several ways to remove moles: using a laser and using radio waves. Which one is best for your baby will be determined by your doctor.
How to prevent it?
The appearance of moles on the human body is absolutely normal. Some accompany a person throughout his life and do not cause any concern.
But still, the question of how to prevent the appearance of moles in a child arises for many parents. The formation of nevi is an absolutely normal reaction..
Warning is usually caused by moles that rapidly increase in size, change color and shape. If you notice such formations in your child, be sure to consult a doctor.
As mentioned above, ultraviolet rays affect the appearance of new moles. So try Do not sunbathe your child often, especially in the middle of summer. You should also choose the right clothes for your baby. If some things are tight, they can injure the mole.
If some light spot appears on the child’s body, then most likely a new mole will soon appear in this place. Try not to injure this area of the body.
When bathing your baby, do not rub his skin too hard.. Otherwise, moles may be injured, and this can lead to an increase in the level of melanin in any part of the body. After which a new mole forms there.
Useful video
You can also learn about emerging moles in children from the video:
Conclusion
A mole is one of the normal features that is formed during the process of intrauterine development of the baby. For parents, moles raise a lot of questions. Many are worried that they will develop into a malignant tumor in the future and cause serious consequences.
If you notice nevi on your child’s body, it is advisable to consult a dermatologist. Also try not to injure them and monitor their condition.
Moles in newborns.
Many people are sure that moles are spots on our body that we were born with. However, is this really true? In fact, quite a few children are born with moles on their body. Moles got their name for a different reason. First of all, moles, or nevi, are transmitted genetically through parents. Hence the name “moles”. Popular moles that a child had at birth are called birthmarks. Such spots actually appear with the birth of a child and grow with the growth of the newborn.
The question of when moles appear in newborns may sound incorrect. The fact is that birthmarks on the body of a newborn can be noticeable, or they can be barely visible. At first they appear as a bright spot that is difficult to see with the naked eye. Over time, the spot becomes darker, and you realize that your child has a “birthmark”, a sign of “breed”. By the way, many parents are proud of their birthmarks, which are passed on from generation to generation, so the appearance of a pedigree birthmark on a child is eagerly awaited.
Many people are interested in the question of why moles appear in children.
- Genetics. First of all, it’s all about a genetic predisposition to this, for example, dad or more likely mom has the same mole in the same place or nearby. There's nothing you can do about it. But it happens that children develop moles that do not decorate them in any way, but they should not be removed while the child is very small, because The nevus may appear again and you will have to have surgery again.
- Hormones. This is also a common cause of moles in children, but it is extremely rare that it occurs in infancy.
- UV rays. Newborns do not sunbathe or go to the beach with their parents, so this option is also excluded.
In addition, you can independently understand in advance with a high probability of coincidence that the child will have a birthmark at birth. The fact is that most often the following are born with nevi:
- Light-skinned children
- Girls (about 4-5 times more often than boys),
- Premature babies.
Moles in children.
Most often, the first nevi appear in childhood. But when children have moles, only parents know who remember every centimeter of the child’s body. It is impossible to say specifically that moles in children appear strictly at 3 years or at 5 years - everything is individual and depends on several factors:
- Child maturation
- Staying in the sun
- Genetics.
A genetic predisposition cannot be ruled out, so if the parents’ first moles appeared late, then the child will probably not get moles early, and if the parents have a lot of moles, then the baby will have a lot of moles.
Attention! To protect your child from the appearance of new moles, try to protect him from sun exposure, especially from sunburn. In summer, the baby should wear clothing (not warm) that covers exposed skin, such as a Panama hat. Always apply sunscreen to your child's skin before leaving the house, and at the beach, make sure he plays in the shade, such as under a beach umbrella.
So at what age do moles appear? According to statistics, the first moles appear in children at the age of 1-2 years. By this age, children are taken with them to the dacha or to the beach for a couple of hours, but this is already enough for the mole to appear. Daily walks along the street and park are enough, because... ultraviolet rays cause the appearance of new nevi.
If you are concerned that your child is developing moles, contact your pediatrician or immediately see a dermatologist who will examine the child and the growths and can tell you whether there is a danger from moles on the body. However, malignant moles in a child are extremely rare, but still watch how the mole develops and grows, how it manifests itself and how the child reacts to it.
Such different “children’s” moles...
It is rare to see the moles that we are used to seeing in children. But still, congenital birthmarks are those that appeared immediately after birth or appeared in the first 2-3 months of the baby’s life.
Moles can be:
- Vascular,
- Not vascular or ordinary.
Moles that consist of many blood vessels are called vascular. The color of these moles varies from pink to bright red. Vascular nevi can be either flat or convex. These moles are benign, but they are removed not because of the fear of melanoma, but because of their appearance.
Non-vascular moles have a smooth surface, appear in the first years of a child's life and can range in color from light brown to black. Such moles can be either flat or convex; hair growing from the mole is often considered a good sign. You should worry about moles on your palms or soles, because... Such nevi are extremely easy to damage.
Separately, it is worth highlighting vascular moles in a child. Pay attention to whether there are pinkish-red or bluish spots on the child’s body with a slight swelling in diameter? If there is, you should consult a doctor. Vascular nevi are:
- Hemangiomas,
- Stork bites or salmon-colored birthmarks,
- Port wine stain or flaming nevus.
Hemangioma may not be visible immediately, because... for the first time it appears only 2-3 weeks or even 6-12 months after the birth of the baby. It appears anywhere and can grow quickly, although after 1-1.5 years it usually turns pale and flesh-colored. In most children, hemangioma goes away by the age of 10.
“Stork bite” is most common and appears on the back of the head, bridge of the nose and eyelids in the form of a large pink spot or a cluster of small spots.
Flaming nevus is most often flat and red, appears on the face or scalp and grows as the baby ages and grows. Over time, the “wine stain” does not disappear, it cannot be removed, and it is pointless, but you can undergo treatment with the help of:
- Infrared radiation;
- Laser therapy.
If the stain cannot be cured, try either removing it if it is bothering you or hiding it with cosmetics. But trying to hide a birthmark under tanned skin is useless, because... the nevus will only darken (it will become darker than tanned skin). It is better, on the contrary, to hide birthmarks from the sun, use sunscreen and hide the spots with decorative cosmetics.
Why do moles appear?
If small moles appear on the body in large clusters, this is sometimes frightening, but, as a rule, parents, because... Children rarely pay attention to the fact that a new point has appeared on the body. But for what reasons do moles appear on a child’s body, what is the reason for this and how to prevent it?
Be aware that moles often appear among sun lovers and tanning beds. This also applies to children. Often young mothers take their children to the beach with them and teach them to sunbathe “correctly.” However, few people know that the sun's ultraviolet rays (this includes solariums) not only irradiate human skin, but also affect the appearance of new moles. To prevent them from occurring, you need to choose a sunscreen with a high level of protection and apply it to your child’s skin every time before going outside, especially before going to the beach. Spend as little time in the sun as possible, wear a hat and try to stay in the shade.
Moles also appear during hormonal imbalances in the body, i.e. not only with the surge of hormones, but also with their decline. Hence the consequence is that moles appear in children - during adolescence, in women - during pregnancy, and even under severe stress and diseases that affect the hormonal background.
Almost every person has a mole, or non-tumor nevus.
This is an area of skin with a darker pigment color, of various shapes and sizes.
There are formations from light beige, almost invisible on human skin, to dark red and even black.
Most of them are completely safe for children (and adults).
But others are capable of causing fear in their rebirth, and bring trouble.
Moles most often appear between six months and four years. Then the appearance of nevi slows down and the next peak occurs in adolescence, which is due to hormonal changes in the human body. The baby is born, as a rule, with clear skin.
Exceptions also occur and are called birthmarks, which are usually more common in fair-skinned and fair-haired girls. Dark-skinned children are less likely to have moles from birth.
The formation of moles on human skin is a natural process. and is caused by the work of melanocytes, cells that determine skin color, provide tanning and give color to moles and other pigmented formations.
Reasons for appearance
- The most common and natural one is genetic. The number and location of nevi in a child directly depends on the number and location of them in his immediate family. Hence the name of education.
- Internal reasons. Hormonal. The peaks in the formation and disappearance of birthmarks directly depend on the peaks of hormonal changes in the human body, so the first occurs during the period of 2-3 years, the second during adolescence; often during pregnancy, a woman can also notice the appearance or disappearance of nevi. And this process is also natural.
- External reasons. First of all, the activity of melanocytes is influenced by solar activity and the effect of ultraviolet radiation in particular. Under the influence of this particular radiation, a mole can change its size, color, and even degenerate into a deadly disease - melanoma.
- A less common reason (and not yet fully proven) is traumatic. According to this hypothesis, the formation of foci of hyperpigmentation in children can form in the post-traumatic period, after suffering insect bites, skin injuries, as well as viral infections.
Doctor Komarovsky about moles in children
A mole, according to Komarovsky, is a formation in which cancerous (malignant) cells may appear. But it is not a reason to panic. Rather, it should serve as an impetus for obtaining more information about the peculiarities of the functioning of your body (and the child’s body).
A mole is in most cases completely safe; you can live with it (and even if there are many of them) quite comfortably all your life until a ripe old age. Moreover, Evgeniy Olegovich identifies two series of factors that determine the presence of moles in a person and monitoring their safety.
- Genetics or hereditary factor. We cannot influence it in any way. If the baby’s relatives have a scattering of areas of hyperpigmentation on their skin, it is not surprising that the child also has a lot of them.
- The second very important factor is solar Activity. Due to their direct effect on the activity of melanocytes, the sun and ultraviolet radiation in particular are directly related to the number of moles on the skin of both adults and children.
Moreover, ultraviolet light is an aggressive factor that contributes to the degeneration of nevus into a more dangerous form of hyperpigmentation - deadly melanoma.
The third factor that Dr. Komarovsky pays attention to is traumatic damage to moles. Moreover, permanent damage is dangerous. A one-time injury to a nevus, apart from more intense bleeding, cannot cause much concern.Which ones are dangerous?
For a qualitative assessment of the danger of a nevus Komarovsky recommends examining the child twice a year and make a map of the moles of him and his immediate family.
The doctor compiled an easy-to-memorize and quite informative “AKORD” system. What does this mean and how to use it?
Main characteristics of a mole, they also determine the degree of its safety for the body as follows:
- Asymmetry. If you virtually draw a straight line through the center of the mole, both parts should be mutually symmetrical. Otherwise, you should contact a specialist.
- The edges. Moles with even edges, smooth and rounded are safe and do not require contact with a specialist. You should consult a doctor if the edges are jagged or have unclear boundaries.
- Uniformity of color. The color of the nevus itself does not matter much, be it beige, deep brown, wine red or even black. The main thing is that it must be homogeneous.
- Size. A mole size up to 6 mm in diameter is considered safe (for comparison, this is the diameter of an eraser on a standard pencil).
- Growth dynamics. If the mole does not change significantly in size and there is no visible change within a month, it is safe. Anxiety can cause a noticeable increase within one month.
How to care?
Moles are smooth, do not protrude from the surface of the skin and are not subject to constant trauma and do not require special care. When visiting the beach they, like the rest of the skin, should be protected both by sunscreens and by not visiting the beach during peak solar activity (from 12 to 16 noon).
In the case where hair grows from a nevus, this is a cosmetic defect, but it is better to remove it simply by cutting it off, plucking it, or using creams or other methods of depilation.
What is a nevus map?
A mole map is needed to track when new moles appear and how old ones change. It is individual for everyone. It contains information about the location, size, color, symmetry, growth dynamics and edges of moles (that is, all information according to the AKORD system).
Thanks to this map it is possible to detect disturbances in areas of hyperpigmentation in a timely manner and contact a specialist, since although melanoma is often common, its cure with timely treatment reaches 95%.
Procedure for examining a child
- Examine the front surface of the body, right and left side with raised arms.
- Examination of the hands, the front and back of the shoulder, forearm and palm.
- Examination of the back of the body and buttocks.
- Examination of the legs, front and back of the thigh, lower leg and feet.
- Examination of the back of the head.
All enter the detected formations into the table indicating the location and characteristics of AKORD. Carry out an inspection twice a year.
How to prevent melanoma?
The best A way to prevent melanoma is the correct attitude towards the sun. And minimizing its negative impact on the child’s skin, including moles.
- Be sure to use a waterproof sunscreen with SPF 30+ or higher.
- Renew the protection every 2 hours (reapply the product to the skin of the body and face), as well as after each bathing.
- Do not specifically look for the sun, and also, if possible, do not sunbathe during the period of peak ultraviolet activity (from 12 to 16 pm).
- Stay in the shade if possible.
- Be especially careful where there is water, sand and snow. Because their reflective properties enhance the negative effects of sunlight on the skin.
- Avoid sunbathing. To give the appearance of tanned skin, use self-tanner. But under no circumstances should we refuse Sanskrins.
- Know your moles.
Thus, although a mole is a group of cells that can degenerate into a malignant form, if treated correctly, treated with care and regularly examined, they are not a cause for panic.
Watch a video on the topic: