Moles can come in a range of colors and can develop virtually any whereon your body.

Most moles are harmless, but in rare cases, moles may become cancerous.

Risk Factors

• Large Moles present at birth
• Moles that run in families
• Numerous Moles

When to seek medical advice

• If you're over 20 years old and a new mole appears, see your doctor
• If the moles are painful
• Itching or burning
• Oozing or bleeding
• Scaly or crusty 
• Suddenly different in size, shape, color or elevation

Diagnosis

You may choose to make a skin examination a regular part of your preventive medical care.

If your doctor suspects that a mole may be cancerous, he or she may take a sample of the tissue (biopsy) and submit the biopsy for microscopic examination.

Treatment

If a mole is found to be cancerous, the entire mole and a margin of normal tissue around it need to be removed.

Usually a mole that has been removed does not reappear. For cosmetic reasons, a mole can be removed in several ways.

Prevention

• The skin should be examined carefully on a regular basis

• If there is a family history of melanoma, monthly check up of moles is required

• Otherwise the moles should be checked every three months

• It's best to avoid overexposure to the sun, but if you must be out of doors, try to stay out of the sun from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., when ultraviolet rays are most intense

• Twenty to 30 minutes before going outdoors, apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15