I’VE DEVELOPED SEVERAL MOLES ON MY ARMS, LEGS AND FACE
Q
I’ve noticed small moles on my arms, legs, neck and face including lips. My dad also has a lot of moles on his body. Although there are no cases of skin cancer in the family, I’m worried.
A
Unfortunately, you haven’t mentioned your age and ethnic background, which are important factors in answering your question. However, in general, any individual can present with two types of moles – medically known as congenital nevi and melanocytic nevi. The first are moles one is born with, and the second are those which develop later in life. They can start appearing in early childhood and continue until mid-40s. In your case, genetic pre-disposition could be the reason for the eruption of moles as you have mentioned that your dad too has a large number of moles.
In some women, pregnancy can accelerate the appearance of new moles or can make existing moles larger in size and darker in colour.
Consult a dermatologist with experience in moles and skin cancer screening. You might need to get your moles assessed through computerised mole-mappings that provide 30-40 per cent more information about the characteristics of the mapped moles in comparison to the assessments done based only on clinical examination.
Moles can be seen on any part of the skin surface but I would emphasise that one should not forget to get the moles located on hidden body sites including scalp, inner lips, palms, soles and nail folds examined. Missing a malignant melanoma on these hidden body areas can prove costly.