What a normal mole looks like?

Normal moles

A normal mole is usually an evenly colored brown, tan, or black spot on the skin. It can be either flat or raised. It can be round or oval. Moles are generally less than 6 millimeters (about ¼ inch) across (about the width of a pencil eraser).

What should a healthy mole look like?

Normal moles are generally round or oval, with a smooth edge, and usually no bigger than 6mm in diameter. But size is not a sure sign of melanoma. A healthy mole can be larger than 6mm in diameter, and a cancerous mole can be smaller than this.

How can you tell if a mole is unhealthy?

What do harmless moles look like?

If you remember, one of the typical features of benign moles is that they have a consistent color throughout. This mole, however, is flesh colored on the perimeter and brown in the center.

What can a cancerous mole look like?

Melanoma borders tend to be uneven and may have scalloped or notched edges, while common moles tend to have smoother, more even borders. C is for Color. Multiple colors are a warning sign. While benign moles are usually a single shade of brown, a melanoma may have different shades of brown, tan or black.

Skin cancer education

What does Stage 1 melanoma look like?

Stage IA Melanoma: The melanoma tumor is less than 1.0 millimeter thick (less than the size of a sharpened pencil point) with or without ulceration (broken skin) when viewed under the microscope. Stage IB Melanoma: The melanoma tumor is more than 1.0 millimeter and less than 2.0 millimeters thick without ulceration.

When is a mole suspicious?

Border that is irregular: The edges of suspicious moles are ragged, notched or blurred in outline, while healthy moles tend to have more even borders. The pigment of the mole may also spread into the surrounding skin. Color that is uneven: The mole may have various colors present, including black, brown and tan.

What does non cancerous moles look like?

While benign moles are usually a single shade of brown, a melanoma may have different shades of brown, tan or black. As it grows, the colors red, white or blue may also appear.

Are Raised moles normal?

Normal moles

A normal mole is usually an evenly colored brown, tan, or black spot on the skin. It can be either flat or raised. It can be round or oval.

Are melanomas flat or raised?

Many melanomas are flat or barely raised. They may have a variation of colors with irregular borders. The thickness of the melanoma is known as the Breslow measurement or Breslow's depth. The amount of thickness can help determine the stage of the cancer.

Can a doctor tell if a mole is cancerous just by looking at it?

A visual check of your skin only finds moles that may be cancer. It can't tell you for sure that you have it. The only way to diagnose the condition is with a test called a biopsy. If your doctor thinks a mole is a problem, they will give you a shot of numbing medicine, then scrape off as much of the mole as possible.

What does Stage 1 melanoma mean?

Stage I Melanoma

This is a noninvasive stage, which is also called melanoma “in situ,” meaning “in its original place.” With stage I melanoma, the tumor's thickness is 1mm or less. This tumor may or may not have ulcerated, and it isn't yet believed to have spread beyond the original site.

What are the 5 stages of melanoma?

What is an abnormal mole?

Atypical moles are often larger than common moles and have regular or ragged or blurred borders that are not easy to see. Colors of atypical moles may be the same as the rest of the skin, or lighter, darker, or uneven. Parts or all of the mole may be raised above the skin surface.

Can normal moles be 2 colours?

A mole can change in weeks or months. Things to look for include: moles with uneven colouring – most moles only have one or two colours, many (but not all) melanomas have lots of different shades (see section on cancerous moles below)

What are 4 types of moles?

There are 4 common types of moles: congenital moles, dysplastic nevi, acquired nevi, and spitz nevi. Below are the differences between each.

Can moles grow without being cancerous?

Most moles are benign. This means they are harmless and do not cause cancer. However, sometimes they grow and become malignant. This means they are cancerous and must be removed.

What color is melanoma?

Melanoma often contains shades of brown, black, or tan, but some can be red or pink, such as the one shown here.

How do cancerous moles start?

The first sign of melanoma is often a mole that changes size, shape or color. This melanoma shows color variations and an irregular border, both of which are melanoma warning signs.

Is it normal to have black dots in a mole?

Moles known as dysplastic nevi or atypical moles are larger than average (usually larger than a pencil eraser) and irregular in shape. They tend to have uneven color with dark brown centers and a lighter, sometimes reddish, uneven border or black dots at the edge. These moles often run in families.

What looks like a mole but isn't a mole?

Seborrheic keratosis is a common, benign skin condition. These growths are often referred to as moles. Although seborrheic keratosis typically isn't cause for concern, its look-alike — melanoma — is. Melanoma is a potentially deadly type of skin cancer.

Is melanoma smooth or rough?

A mole that is asymmetric and/​or has uneven edges can be a sign of melanoma. It may feel bumpy and/​or rough to the touch – or you may feel a hard lump.

What are the warning signs of melanoma?

Other melanoma warning signs may include:

Pigment, redness or swelling that spreads outside the border of a spot to the surrounding skin. Itchiness, tenderness or pain. Changes in texture, or scales, oozing or bleeding from an existing mole. Blurry vision or partial loss of sight, or dark spots in the iris.

How long does it take for a mole to become cancerous?

It can become life-threatening in as little as 6 weeks and, if untreated, it can spread to other parts of the body. Melanoma can appear on skin not normally exposed to the sun. Nodular melanoma is a highly dangerous form of melanoma that looks different from common melanomas.

Does melanoma hurt when pressed?

The skin lesion may feel different and may itch, ooze, or bleed, but a melanoma skin lesion usually does not cause pain.