Everyone has moles on their body. It is believed that most of them appear by the age of 25, although they can also develop later. For example, during pregnancy, and sometimes, on the contrary, moles may disappear over time. A nevus can be yellow, brown, or black. All of this is within the normal range and is not dangerous.
However, patients often have questions:
- How can we tell what it is? – A common mole, or nevus, or malignant tumor – skin cancer?
- What signs should we pay attention to, what indicates the beginning of mole transformation? And when should we worry?
- What innovative methods does modern medicine use for diagnostics?
- How accurate is the diagnosis made by modern medicine?
- Is it possible to “hide” signs of melanoma in such a way that it cannot be detected?
- What necessary procedures does the patient need?
We will try to answer all these questions and provide necessary information about the latest method for mole diagnostics, which is known as the early diagnosis of skin melanoma.
If you notice an unusual new formation that:
- Grows unevenly and has irregular borders
- Changes color – loses or significantly increases pigmentation
- Has uneven coloration – appears in more than one color such as brown, black, red, pink, white, or bluish, with a halo around the periphery
- Starts to peel
- Develops inflammatory redness around it
- Has a surface covered with uneven nodules
- Causes itching, burning, pricking, or tightness in the area
- Develops cracks, fissures, and bleeds
then you should raise the alarm – because the new formation on your body is undergoing changes. Such unclear new formations require close attention – consultation with a dermatologist and thorough examination.
The main weapon against such problems is regular skin examination and diagnosis, especially after the age of 40. Timely check-ups and screening are the keys to early diagnosis of skin cancer and its prevention.
Dermatoscopic examination is necessary in such cases – it can be performed on any part of the body, and it allows us to evaluate the quality of the nevi on the patient’s skin – their hairy area, the structure of the sebaceous glands, and the pigmentation.
Through dermatoscopy, it is possible to determine the degree of dysplasia (abnormal development) in new skin formations, advise the patient on the method of removal, or suggest a monitoring regimen.
Even when a new formation is benign, it should be excised if it constantly undergoes friction, pressure, or trauma from a medical standpoint. For example, in areas such as the groin, under the arms, under the breasts, on the waist, and on the face in the beard area for men. Often, patients want to remove a mole for aesthetic reasons. In both cases, the decision should be made by a dermatologist after consultation and dermatoscopic examination to determine the optimal method of removal.
It should be noted that the likelihood of complete recovery in the early (I) stage of melanoma is 95%.
It is also important to inform the population about the importance of sun protection – use high-quality sunscreens – SPF 40-50-70.
Visit the medical center “Marjani” and undergo a dermatoscopic examination, remember: early diagnosis prevents death!”
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