A mole grows behind the ear (English)

Nevi (moles) are benign formations that are present on the skin from birth or that arise during life. By themselves, they do not threaten health, although they can transform into malignant tumors. Similar suspicions arise if a mole grows, which previously did not cause concern. There is no need to panic, you just need to choose the right tactics of behavior.

A dermatologist can name several types of classifications of moles according to structure, shape, and depth. It is worth listing the most common types.

Vascular (hemangioma). This is a pink or red mole in the form of a hanging nodule (sometimes flat). Hemangiomas mainly occur in young children, during the formation of the circulatory system. If a red mole begins to grow in an adult, this means that vascular function is impaired, hormonal changes are occurring, or the pancreas or liver is not working well.
Lengito is the most common type. Pigmented cells are found in the top layer of the skin. Lengitto includes brown and black moles. They are usually not removed. If the color of a mole is initially black, then it is no more dangerous in terms of degeneration than a lighter one.
Convex. It is formed from melanocytes located in the dermis. The diameter of a convex brown or black mole is no more than 1 cm. Its surface can be smooth or bumpy, often with hair.
Birthmarks. Most often, they are observed already at birth and represent pigmented areas of the skin. Infants have birthmarks that occupy a large area. They may disappear over time, but require constant attention.

Why do moles grow?

One of the signs of degeneration is an increase in the size of a mole on the body, head or face. If a mole begins to grow, this does not mean that melanoma (skin cancer) has appeared. The reason for the growth may be different, although it is possible that it will give impetus to a serious illness.

External damage to papillomas and birthmarks. Microtraumas can be caused by shaving, hair removal, combing, and constant friction. Damage to a red mole is especially dangerous: it not only provokes its growth, but is also fraught with severe bleeding.
Ultraviolet radiation, radiation. Prolonged exposure to the open sun or in a solarium is a common cause of rapid growth of melanocytes (pigmented cells). A brown or black mole increases in size.
Fluctuations in hormonal levels. It happens that a mole begins to increase during puberty or during pregnancy. It happens that with hormonal surges, a mole on the body becomes smaller or disappears completely.
Heredity. Often birthmarks in children are found where their ancestors had them. Even the shape and size of the nevus can be duplicated.

What to do if a mole starts to grow. Signs of melanoma

What to do if a mole changes color, grows quickly and itches, and pain is periodically felt in it? If such signs appear or the nevus is damaged, medical consultation is required. Only a doctor can determine whether it is melanoma and decide whether to remove the mole. If you do not respond to alarming symptoms in time, the tumor grows into adjacent tissues and metastasizes through the blood and lymph.

The cause of the tumor is the accumulation of excess melanin (pigment) in moles. At the same time, the color, density, and outline of the mole quickly change. Melanoma, unlike a harmless nevus, has the following characteristic features:

gradual increase in size;
a change in color does not necessarily mean darkening; a black mole may become lighter during degeneration;
the appearance of a glossy shine;
hair loss (if they grew on the surface of the nevus);
distortion of shape, asymmetry - the borders become uneven, the edges become jagged;
change in structure - compaction, appearance of cracks, crusts, ulcers (sometimes with bleeding);
itching, pain.

It is advisable to consult a specialist in the following situations:

new moles grow rapidly;
there is a red convex mole;
The mole is located under the arms, on the palms, feet, neck, head, inner thighs - where pressure, friction, cuts, and exposure to chemicals are possible.

The question is often asked whether it is necessary to rush to the clinic if, of all the listed symptoms, only itching is noted. If a mole itches, first examine it (either on your own or with the help of loved ones). Uniformly colored nevi with a size of no more than 5 mm, without signs of inflammation, are considered harmless. Within 5-7 days, you can try to eliminate the itching yourself using these techniques.

Wipe with an aqueous solution of vinegar.
If the skin next to the mole itches, lubricate it with moisturizer.
If you have a possible allergy, use antihistamine ointment, take a Dazolin or Suprastin tablet.
If a mole becomes red (a sign of infection), treat it with alcohol or calendula tincture; if there is an injury, cauterize it with iodine.

If, despite the measures taken, the nevus still itches, you should go to a specialist.

Which doctor should I contact about a mole?

Its initial examination and diagnosis is the responsibility of a dermatologist. The doctor examines the nevus using epiluminescence videodermatoscopy. Digital equipment allows you to examine the problem area with 200x magnification and also take a photograph of it. An image of a growing mole is stored in the computer’s memory, and the photographs are compared during a subsequent visit to the doctor. Skin formations are analyzed according to the degree of pigmentation and density. You can also determine the possibility of peripheral growth and tumor invasion.

Based on the results of the study, the options for further action are as follows.

1. If it is not melanoma, but simple damage to a mole, the doctor prescribes medications, recommends home treatment and monitoring of the nevus. If symptoms persist (for example, a mole is growing), emergency intervention is possible.

2. If certain microorganisms are detected, the dermatologist gives a referral to a dermatologist-cosmetologist. If melanoma is detected, you will have to go to an oncologist. In most cases, a visit to the surgeon is mandatory: he decides whether to have surgery or continue conservative treatment.

According to dermatologists, removal of nevi is indicated in the following cases:

a malignant neoplasm is suspected;
injury;
aesthetic considerations - for example, a large mole on the face.

The removal procedure must be performed by a qualified professional in a clinical setting. The excised material must be submitted for histological examination. During it, melanoma is confirmed, or these suspicions are refuted.

Modern medicine offers several effective ways to eliminate moles. Your doctor will help you choose the best method.

1. Electrocoagulation – cauterization with electric current. It lasts about 20 minutes, and no pain is felt due to local anesthesia. After the procedure, a crust forms, which comes off on its own.

2. Radio wave coagulation. It is recommended for areas with thin skin (for example, if a mole is on the face). The method does not cause thermal damage. The session lasts no more than 5 minutes, the mole is removed using a single impact of the instrument.

3. Laser. It allows for targeted removal without affecting healthy tissue at all. The mole is removed layer by layer; To remove a small nevus, a maximum of 10 minutes is enough. If the patient easily tolerates pain, you can do without anesthesia. Otherwise, you need a painkiller injection. Regardless of the size of the mole, there are no scars, no bleeding, and the risk of infection is eliminated.

4. Surgical excision. An old, proven, effective method. If the reason for the intervention is a suspicion of oncology, it is better to choose excision, which guarantees the removal of diseased cells. This option is recommended for large mole sizes, as well as if it has broken up into several parts. The disadvantage of this method is the risk of scar formation and a long healing period.

Every person can have moles on their skin, and each new one will be different from the previous one. Moles vary in color and size, location on the body and shape. Some moles are localized on the surface, others are located in the deep layers of the skin.

You can treat these new growths as you like, but it is worth recognizing that sometimes they can add zest to your appearance, and sometimes they can be completely disgusting.

A person rarely pays attention to moles unless they clearly bother him or are not in a visible place. Meanwhile, many doctors are confident that a mole is far from a safe neoplasm. And if we begin to notice obvious changes in the size or color of a mole, this is a signal of processes in it that can lead to serious consequences, such as melanoma. In such cases, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Degeneration of a mole

First of all, the degeneration of a mole is dangerous because it can lead to the development of cancer.

In the course of numerous studies and observations, it can be concluded that moles that appeared on the body during life are at greater risk of degenerating into melanoma.

Often, the average person mistakes raised moles for a potentially dangerous nevus, but in reality, moles on the soles and palms pose the greatest danger, among them the largest percentage of cancer-predisposed neoplasms.

Moles, which are often susceptible to mechanical damage and friction, are also at risk. And yet, size matters, at least large moles are most prone to melanoma.

The first and main symptom of the onset of degeneration of a mole is its obvious increase in size. Further, according to the symptoms, you can observe the thickening of the mole tissue and a change in color. Itching and sometimes bleeding from cracks in a mole should also not be ignored. You can check a mole that is bothering you for the risk of cancer with our online test, and you can check the susceptibility of your skin type to the development of melanoma with another online test.

Simple prevention of moles:

We check the symmetry of large nevi;
A degenerated mole always has jagged contours;
Observe the color of moles;
We monitor the growth of especially large moles;
At least once a year we are examined by an oncologist and a dermatologist.

Reasons for the growth of moles

The growth of moles is not necessarily due only to degeneration into a malignant tumor. To a lesser extent, this may be due to the traumatic nature of the mole.

In addition, the fact that a mole grows is influenced by ultraviolet radiation, prolonged exposure to the sun or frequent visits to a solarium. You can check the danger of the sun for your skin using the appropriate online test.

An enlarged nevus may be due to a problem with the thyroid gland or hormonal changes in the body. The latter can be observed especially often during pregnancy.

Worth paying attention

The growth and degeneration of moles can take years, and if they are not systematically monitored, the changes can be ignored altogether. To make sure the diagnosis is correct, when you visit a doctor, you can have the tissue of the mole analyzed.

The growth of a mole does not necessarily indicate cancer, but it is strictly forbidden to ignore, let alone remove moles on your own!

Mole removal methods

Today, medicine uses several methods for removing nevus and not all of them are completely effective.

Creodestruction, or cauterization of a nevus with liquid nitrogen, is not always effective;
Electrocoagulation is performed under local anesthesia. A big advantage is the ability to conduct a histological examination of neoplasm tissue;
Laser removal is a method that is considered the most effective.

Do not forget that moles cannot be removed independently at any age. And if we observe rapid growth of a neoplasm, for example, in a child in infancy, then we should not even think about removing a mole on our own!

After the nevus removal procedure, a small scar remains on the skin. It becomes crusty, and the operation site will need to be treated with an ointment with antibacteriological properties for some time.

In the postoperative period, until the scar at the site of the nevus has completely healed, you should not visit baths or swimming pools, and when showering, you must isolate the removal site from water.

If we are talking about the face, then the skin will have to be wiped with a special cleansing lotion. You can use cream, but under no circumstances use cosmetics. The scar must completely resolve and only then can you apply makeup.

And yet, the crust that forms during the healing of the nevus removal site should fall off on its own; there is no need to damage it or try to tear it off.

7-10 days after removal of the nevus, you must be examined by a doctor again.

Conclusion

We have to admit that in most cases, the increase in moles and their degeneration occurs due to excessive exposure to ultraviolet rays, hormonal imbalance and skin injuries, in particular, injuries to moles.

It's rare to see a person without small dark marks on their body. Is it worth paying attention to these points? Only a doctor will distinguish between dangerous and normal moles - malignant melanoma or harmless nevus - and give recommendations on what to do with them. Is it worth worrying about the appearance of new formations, when immediate contact with specialists is required, what are the signs of cancer development - the answers to these questions remain to be found out. No one is immune from disaster, and early diagnosis will protect you from severe consequences.

What is a mole

The first tiny spots may appear in children in infancy. A mole is a small formation on the skin - a nevus - that is considered benign and harmless. The basis for their appearance is melanocyte cells that accumulate the natural pigment melanin. Depending on its quantity, a difference in color is observed. Available colors:

The shape of the tumors depends on the location and concentration of melanin. They may have a stalk or be located under the skin, be flat and convex. The most common type is round, but there are exceptions. The development of neoplasms is provoked by ultraviolet radiation - natural from the sun, in a solarium. Hereditary factors cannot be excluded. A common cause of growth is hormonal imbalance, characteristic of periods:

puberty;
pregnancy;
menopause.

What types of moles are there?

One person may discover very different tumors. Types of moles are classified according to several criteria. This helps in correct diagnosis in case of changes. They differ in:

origin– congenital, newly acquired;
structure– pigment, vascular;
place of education – in depth, on the surface, in the boundary layer;
raised above the skin – flat – even, protruding as a hemisphere, pedunculated, larger birthmarks;
potential threats – dangerous, degenerating into melanoma, non-dangerous.

Safe moles

Those who have dark spots on their skin should be wary of their changes. In time, detected signs of degeneration into melanoma contribute to the timely removal of the formation and preservation of health. Safe moles are different:

the presence of a stalk – it cannot be formed by malignant cells that grow randomly;
long-term condition without changes.

Spots that appear soon after birth are not considered dangerous. It is important that they are small in size. Good – non-dangerous – signs of neoplasms include:

flesh tone;
unchanged pattern of the skin of the nevus and adjacent tissues;
soft consistency;
hair on the surface of the neoplasm - growing from the skin, indicates the absence of pathologies;
diameter no more than 5 mm;
symmetry;
nevus in the form of a spot.

Which moles are dangerous?

Why do people with nevi on their bodies need to monitor their changes? There is always a threat of degeneration of non-dangerous tumors into a cancerous tumor. What moles are dangerous to health? Key signs you need to know:

change in shades towards the dark side, the appearance of multi-color;
rapid increase in size - exceeds two millimeters per year;
occurrence of cracks;
the formation of asymmetry due to uneven growth;
lack of elasticity;
the appearance of itching, burning;
presence of discomfort.

The appearance of dangerous moles requires an immediate visit to a specialist to clarify the nature of the changes and the likelihood of developing skin cancer. Pathological transformations provoke:

injury to the nevus due to negligence;
self-removal;
abuse of exposure to the sun, use of a solarium;
location of the formation in places of frequent contact with clothing - on the neck, head, genitals, legs;
placement in the hair, on the face, palms - where there is a high probability of injury;
previously removed melanoma.

Why are moles dangerous?

Not a single person is protected from the sudden proliferation of cells of a harmless mole. Melanoma is an extremely serious disease. Changes not detected at the initial stage can result in death. The provoking factor is unsuccessful independent removal of tumors. Moles are dangerous because of their ability to:

transform into an atypical – precancerous form;
grow to large sizes;
turn into cancerous;
with minor external changes, metastases actively spread throughout the body through the circulatory and lymphatic channels.

How quickly does melanoma develop from a mole?

The transformation of a nevus into a cancerous formation can occur in different ways. The process depends on the stage of the disease and the type of tumor. Instant metastases are dangerous. Begins:

growth of cancer (oncological) cells in the deep layers of the epidermis;
their entry into the blood and lymph;
penetration into the lungs, liver, kidneys;
growth in these organs;
complete damage to the body;
death.

The growth phases of pigment cells are observed, along which melanoma develops from a mole. There are varieties:

horizontal– damage to the upper layers of the skin occurs, lasting up to 10 years, but metastases do not appear;
vertical– accompanied by the spread of cancer cells throughout the organs, can last two years, has an unfavorable prognosis;
nodal – especially dangerous – characterized by deep spread within two months.

The first signs of melanoma

The patient can be assisted only when suspicious changes begin to be identified. The diagnosis, research, and referral for surgical treatment save a person’s life. The first signs of melanoma:

increase in the height of the tumor;
bleeding;
the appearance of discharge;
redness;
burning, itching;
swelling of tissues;
softening of the nevus;
the appearance of a crust;
thickening;
hair loss;
expansion of pigmentation around the lesion.

With the further development of dangerous melanoma, the following are observed:

significant change in size;
the appearance of pain;
enlarged lymph nodes;
surface ulceration;
formation of new foci;
bleeding from places of pigmentation;
liquid separation;
skin thickening;
the appearance of an earthy tint;
signs of metastases are chronic cough, weight loss, cramps, headaches.

How to distinguish a mole from melanoma

To recognize which moles are dangerous and which are not dangerous, you need to know what they look like. A person with nevi, in order to avoid dire consequences, must constantly monitor the appearance of new formations and changes that occur. You can distinguish a mole from melanoma by its signs. Non-dangerous neoplasm:

symmetrical;
with smooth edges;
uniform in color;
with dimensions not exceeding 6 millimeters.

Features of dangerous melanoma that require seeking help from dermatologists:

growth in a short time;
pronounced asymmetry of shape;
heterogeneity in color - the presence of inclusions of several shades;
lack of clear boundaries - the contour line is blurred, jagged, and looks like a coastline on a geographical map;
increased diameter over six millimeters;
variability of any parameters - color, size, shape.

What dangerous moles look like

What do nevi that are subject to pathological changes look like? Only a doctor can correctly distinguish between non-dangerous tumors. Dangerous formations look like this:

blue– compactions under the skin with clear boundaries, with dimensions no more than 10 mm;
nodal– round, flat in shape, color – brown, black;
cutaneous– often pale, convex;
halo nevus – pigment surrounded by a light or white rim;
spitz- looks like a dome-shaped tumor of pink shades, with the possible presence of a hole through which blood and liquid leak;
connecting- connect individual entities into a whole.

Mole with jagged edges

One of the signs of a non-hazardous formation turning into a dangerous one is a change in contours. It often has blurred edges and scalloped borders. There are non-dangerous types of nevi - dysplastic. Only a specialist can make a correct diagnosis. A mole with uneven edges can be dangerous if there are additional signs of melanoma:

accelerated changes in size;
the presence of clearly defined asymmetry;
the appearance of highly indented boundaries.

Rough mole

Such a neoplasm is harmless if its diameter is no more than 5 mm and remains constant in size. Often its appearance signals a lack of vitamins and nutritional disorders. Doctors advise coming for a consultation if it is discovered that:

the smooth nevus turned into a rough one;
bothered by burning, itching, tingling;
irregularities and compactions appeared in the middle;
areas with different shades formed;
diameter has increased significantly.

A dangerous rough mole requires immediate examination if:

the appearance of bleeding;
development of the inflammatory process;
rapid change in size;
formation of asymmetry;
formation of purulent discharge;
the occurrence of painful sensations when touched;
the emergence of an irregular shape, blurred boundaries, along the edges of the neoplasm.

Large moles

Large formations on the skin are pigment spots. When they remain unchanged and do not cause inconvenience, this is not a dangerous phenomenon. It is important to constantly monitor their appearance, color, and size. To eliminate worries, you need to consult a dermatologist. During the visit, the specialist will conduct a diagnosis and give a forecast of the risk of developing a malignant neoplasm. Large moles become dangerous if they:

injured;
thickened;
started to itch;
were unsuccessfully removed independently;
changed in size, shape;
are bleeding.

What moles can be removed

Often nevi cause trouble for women when they are in a visible place - the face, neck. Even if they do not bother you, using removal will be the right decision - the appearance will improve significantly. After the procedure, the doctor must send the tissue for histological analysis to decide whether the mole is malignant or not. If the neoplasm is not dangerous, does not bother you, and does not change in size, surgery is not required. What moles cannot be removed? Experts believe:

there are no contraindications;
It is important to choose the right excision technique.

You should be careful about skin growths; it is unacceptable to remove them yourself. Only the doctor will determine whether a nevus is dangerous or not and decide what to do with it. You can delete it if:

injured from clothing - on the neck, in the groin area, under the armpits;
cause pain when touched;
are located under the hair on the head and can be damaged when combing or cutting;
change color, shape, outline;
significantly increase in size;
characterized by the presence of burning, itching;
accompanied by inflammation and bleeding.

A mole grows behind the ear