There is probably no person in the world who does not have moles on his body or face. Usually they are not paid attention to, but it happens that moles begin to demand it for themselves. There are often situations when it is necessary to eliminate a mole. How to do this correctly and safely, and is it generally possible to remove moles on the body? In today's article, we will look into this issue.
What are moles
To begin with, it is worth deciding: what is a mole? Many confuse it with a wart, but there is a significant difference between them. More on this will be discussed a little later, but for now it should be noted that a mole, or, in other words, a birthmark, is a pigmented formation on the skin. It appears in those places where a large amount of melanin pigment is formed. Having accumulated in excess in the cells, this pigment at some point turns into a mole. A mole can appear anywhere, on any part of the human body.
Birthmarks can be of different sizes - from tiny, microscopic, to quite large and impressive. They are able to change their size during life - at first they are small, and then they grow (on the contrary,unfortunately not). The color of the mole can also be anything from light brown to red.
There are two types of moles - congenital and acquired (the reasons for their appearance will be indicated below). Both of them can be both pigmented (which happens most often) and vascular - this means that the mole did not arise due to an excess of pigment in the skin, but due to the accelerated growth of capillaries, which led to a change in the structure of the vessels. Such birthmarks are red. But they are much rarer than the age spots that every person on Earth has. As a rule, they appear in the very first years of life, during carefree infancy, but they are so small that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. Gradually they increase in size. An abundance of moles can occur at the time of puberty, when hormones are raging and the whole organism is being restructured. By the way, pregnant women often find new moles in themselves - just because of hormonal activity.
How they appear
As mentioned above, birthmarks can occur on the body or face of a person, either due to a large amount of pigment, or due to high capillary growth, and also as a result of a hormonal surge. However, this is not all the reasons for the appearance of moles. Another factor affecting the spread of moles throughout the body is heredity. You can’t argue with genes, which means that if their appearance is embedded in the DNA, you can be sure: they will appear.
Moles appear anddue to exposure to the sun and / or ultraviolet radiation, as well as due to radiation or x-ray exposure, skin trauma or severely transmitted viruses that contributed to a change in cellular structure.
How different from warts
Both a mole and a wart are neoplasms on the skin. But they are not, as mentioned above, one and the same. What is a mole, previously described. A wart is also called a small tubercle (as if a kind of growth on the skin), protruding forward, not flat, but voluminous. Warts are viral, that is, resulting from the ingestion of the human papillomavirus, and senile, that is, those that appear due to aging.
Viral is more common. The reason for their appearance can be contact with a person who is sick with this virus, reduced immunity, high sweating, mental trauma, and so on. Such warts are usually painless to the touch, except for those that grow on the feet. They can appear on the hands, on the soles (where the shoes rub and press), on the genitals and in the inguinal region (appear due to non-compliance with basic hygiene), on the face (as a rule, they occur in adolescence due to irritation of a very tender leather).
Thus, a wart differs from a mole, first of all, in its shape. In addition, warts are lighter than moles, and also more unpleasant to the touch (hard, and birthmarks are soft). And finally, there are simply more moles. And warts do not have to be removed, they can be cured. FROMmoles, unfortunately, this will not work.
Are freckles also moles?
It is worth saying a few words about freckles. In fact, these are the same age spots. But they are not moles and, unlike them, are completely safe for humans. Freckles, as a rule, are an order of magnitude lighter, most often they become more noticeable by the summer, appearing on the skin under the influence of sunlight. Freckles are mainly characteristic of pale-skinned, fair-skinned people, often redheads, while hair or skin color is absolutely not important for moles. In addition, moles, as already mentioned, can appear anywhere. Freckles are most often found all the same on the face. Well, the main difference is that moles are the result of an accumulation of skin cells with an excess of a pigment called melanin. This is where their potential danger to he alth and even human life lies.
Why are moles dangerous
Since moles are the result of a change in the structure of the skin cell, it would be logical to say that they are a neoplasm. But benign, you should not be afraid. With an appropriate lifestyle and careful attitude, moles are not dangerous. However, the fact remains that any benign formation is capable (only capable, and not necessarily will!) become malignant sooner or later. Moles under strong and constant exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet radiation can turn into melanoma - the strongest tumor. And cancer, as you know, unfortunately, is not completely cured yet. This is precisely the danger of birthmarks, which is why it is undesirablesunbathe in places where there is an accumulation of moles. And even more so, you should not visit the solarium. It is advisable to generally cover moles from the sun - with a bandage, for example, or with a long sleeve if they are on your hands. It is also not recommended to injure the skin in those places where birthmarks are located - this can also lead to cancer. As well as chafing the skin, this should also be avoided.
Experts recommend seeing a doctor immediately if a mole suddenly changes size or shape, the skin around it turns red and/or itches, if the mole bleeds or hair grows, and if new spots suddenly appear in large numbers. Freckled, pale-skinned people, as well as those who have them in excess, should be especially careful about themselves and their birthmarks.
Can it be deleted
If moles are potentially dangerous, a natural question arises: isn't it easier to remove them? If there is only one mole, then perhaps it is easier. And if there is a whole scattering of them?
Be that as it may, moles can be removed. But only in those places where it is really necessary because of the risk of skin cancer. For example, on the soles - there just happens regular frequent friction.
It is important to know that only an oncologist should remove moles. And although this procedure is now widespread in various beauty salons, the answer to the question of where it is better to remove moles is clear and categorical - only in the oncology room. You should not contact cosmetologists, and even more soin no case should you try to solve this issue yourself at home.
Mole removal: pros and cons
As mentioned above, you do not need to remove a mole just because you wanted to. If she is in a place where she is not in danger of injury, if she does not cause any discomfort, you should not touch her. Removing a mole (in the photo below you can see an example of a formation that it is desirable to get rid of) is recommended only if there is a high risk of melanoma. These are spots located in places such as the neck or décolleté - there is constant friction and irritation from clothing, the groin or armpit - there you can injure it with a razor, the sole. And of course, it is necessary to immediately eliminate the mole that brings pain and discomfort. However, it is still recommended to first observe her for a while, pass the necessary tests, and only then, after confirming the diagnosis, go for the operation.
So, the voice for removal is clear - this is a potential danger of cancer. What factor can serve as a vote against? Oddly enough, it's still the same. The fact is that even a seemingly remote mole can become a threat of a tumor. Birthmarks have roots that They grow into a fairly large number of skin cells. And if the mole is not completely removed, that is, without these roots, then they can become the center of localization of the future tumor.
Also, if the process of turning from a mole into melanoma is already running,it is extremely undesirable to interfere with it. This will only accelerate the appearance of a malignant formation. When thinking about the problem of whether it is dangerous to remove moles, one must first of all proceed from the fact that it is safer in this particular case - to leave it or remove it. And it is worth emphasizing again: in this case, you must trust only the doctors.
How to remove a mole
There are several ways to delete. These are laser, electric current, liquid nitrogen, radio wave method and surgical intervention. Each of them has its own characteristics, indications and contraindications. Each of these methods will be discussed in more detail below.
Laser removal
Such a correction is good for small birthmarks, especially those that appeared on the face. Removing a mole on the face with a laser is as easy as shelling pears, in addition, the laser does not leave scars, and this is perhaps especially important for the face. This method has many advantages. For example, the laser does not penetrate the skin and does not damage he althy tissues around the birthmark. It does not hurt at all and does not cause irritation, let alone bleeding. In addition, rehabilitation after such an intervention is only five to seven days.
Remove a mole on the face with a laser quickly and painlessly. The whole operation consists in the fact that it is eliminated in layers until a microwound appears. If the formation is small, the procedure will take one session, moreover, less than a minute; if more - a little longer. It is important to take breaks betweenprocedures for at least a couple of weeks. However, laser correction cannot be used with reduced immunity, as well as inflammation of the skin. After the operation, which usually goes without complications, it is advisable not to be in the sun without a special cream and not to sunbathe in a solarium for two to three months.
Removal by electrocoagulation
Another way to remove a mole is electrocoagulation, or electric current, or rather, its effect. The electric current method is good for moles with a so-called leg (there are some). The essence of the operation is the heat treatment of the mole. The advantages of this method are the minimized risk of infection, short procedure time, quick rehabilitation, and the absence of scars after surgery. Electrocoagulation is used for small moles, but it must be remembered that in the presence of herpes, malignant tumors, hemophilia, individual intolerance to electric shock, chronic infections, the use of the electric current method is prohibited.
After the operation, the wound should be protected from the sun and ultraviolet rays in the same way, in addition, it must be treated with brilliant green for several days.
Surgical removal
You can also remove moles with a scalpel. Unlike previous methods, this one is great for large formations. Its indisputable advantage is a 100% result and the absence of a relapse, of course, provided that everything is done correctly. Moreover, although surgerytraumatic, but safe for the patient, and also quite inexpensive in cost.
Indications for surgical removal are also flat moles, spots divided into several parts, as well as those cases when removal of formations in other ways is impossible. The only negative is that after the operation there will be a scar.
Removal by radio wave method
Both on the body and on the face, you can remove a mole using a radio wave method, which is suitable for formations of any kind and type. This is the most effective and sparing method, which, of course, is its main advantage. High-frequency waves seem to tear the skin with the help of thermal energy, as a result of which the cells with melanin literally evaporate in the air. All exposure is performed without direct contact with the skin. The advantages of this method are the absence of pain, bleeding, the speed of the operation. However, you can not remove a mole in this way if there is a pacemaker, there are inflammatory processes on the skin (including the chronic type), as well as during pregnancy and lactation.
After the intervention, it is necessary to treat the skin with an antiseptic three times a day and, of course, hide it from the sun and ultraviolet radiation.
Liquid nitrogen removal
An excellent option on how to remove a mole is liquid nitrogen, or, in other words, cryodestruction. This method is good for flat formations. It consists in exposure to cold with the help of liquid nitrogen. Its boiling point is almost two hundred degrees below zero, so the cold is really brutal. The benefit takes the operation fromhalf a minute to two.
This method has many advantages - speed, painlessness, almost zero risk of infection. Is it possible to remove moles on the face with the help of cold? Of course, yes - both on the face and on the body. That's only if there is inflammation on the skin near the necessary place, if the patient does not tolerate cold, if he has infectious diseases, it is better to refrain from cryodestruction.
After the operation, the mole will turn white and cease to be soft, and the skin around it will turn red, perhaps a crust will appear. The complete process of wound healing lasts one and a half months - rehabilitation in this method is quite long.
Remove at home
Many are interested in the question of how to remove a mole at home. The answer has already been given above, but it should be emphasized again: no way. At home, on your own, it is strictly forbidden to remove birthmarks. In no case should you try to tear them off or scratch them, this will only cause bleeding and provoke an infection. If it so happened that the mole came off unintentionally, you must immediately treat it with hydrogen peroxide and immediately after stopping the bleeding, consult a doctor.
Interesting facts
- A dark mole is called a nevus.
- In ancient times, it was believed that moles have magical properties. By the way they are located on the human body, people were guessing, predicted fate, determined the available talents.
- There is a belief that the more a person hasmoles, the richer it will be.
There are quite a few options for how to remove a mole. The patient who decides on this procedure, in the absence of any contraindications, is free to choose the method of eliminating the stain. However, it is important to remember: measure a hundred times, cut one. And you need to think really hard before parting with your moles.
