Around one out of 100 people are born with moles, but many people develop moles after they are born. If a mole shows up somewhere on your body, you might be concerned about why it’s there. How can you know if it is a benign mole or something more serious?

Fortunately, there are several ways in which you can tell the difference. If it is a benign mole, what can you do about it? Can you get rid of it?

Keep reading and learn more about moles, why they may appear, how to get rid of them, and if they’re harmful or not.

The Difference Between a Malignant and Benign Mole

Many people don’t know the difference between a harmful and harmless mole growth. This is because both of them tend to look very similar. However, there are a few important differences you can look out for.

In general, a mole appearing on your body is usually not a very serious thing. People develop moles on their skin for a variety of reasons and most of the time, it isn’t any cause for concern. However, you should be concerned if the mole has a strange or particular appearance.

For example, a strange-looking mole may actually be a type of melanoma, also known as skin cancer. But what should you look for in an atypical mole? For one, a mole may actually be skin cancer if it has an irregular rather than even shape.

It may have wavy or patchy borders and it may be in the shape of a splotch rather than a circle. Such a mole may also have a variety of colors such as pink, brown, and so on rather than being a solid color. You should be concerned about your mole if it is relatively large as well, around 6 millimeters, if not larger.

The Details

The texture of the mole may be unusually rough, almost like stone, and it may have a clustered growth. You should also be somewhat concerned if you tend to spend a lot of time in the sun without any sun protection and if you have light skin. All of these factors point to that mole not being a benign mole but instead skin cancer or something that could turn into skin cancer.

Benign moles are much different because they tend to look far more normal. In particular, benign moles are generally quite small, smaller than 6 millimeters. Some people are born with these moles while other people acquire them later in life.

A benign mole tends to be perfectly circular in nature rather than splotchy or patchy. These moles may be slightly raised or they may be completely flat. The important thing about these moles is that they do not change over time. They will stay the same color and shape for years without changing.

This cannot be said about atypical moles or skin cancer lesions which tend to morph and get bigger over time. Benign moles also may have small hairs growing out of them which usually does not happen with potentially malignant moles.

Why Do Moles Form and What Should You Do if You Develop One?

You might be wondering why moles form in the first place. There are a variety of things that may cause a mole to form. Moles are made up of nevus cells which are somewhat different than regular skin cells.

As mentioned before, some people are born with moles. These are known as congenital moles, although they are commonly known as birthmarks. Some birthmarks are very small and hardly noticeable while others may take up a huge portion of a child’s body.

Most people are not born with moles but instead acquire them later in life. One of the main factors that cause moles is the sun. Everyone knows that excessive sun exposure can cause skin cancer, but not many people know that the sun can also cause moles and other skin issues.

This is due to how the sun is able to break up the strands of DNA in your skin cells. This is because the sun’s UV rays are actually a type of radiation that can damage your DNA. Excessive sun exposure will discolor your skin to some extent, also known as tanning, and it can also burn your skin.

These changes to your DNA may cause a benign mole to form. However, besides the sun’s role in mole formation, scientists do not really know why benign moles form. Sometimes, moles may pop up for seemingly no reason.

What You Need to Know

Some researchers believe that certain genes may play a role in the development of such a skin lesion. However, it seems that certain people are more at risk than others for developing these moles. In particular, those with fair skin and those who do not use sunscreen are typically at a higher risk of developing moles.

They are also at a higher risk of developing skin cancer. This is particularly true for older individuals as well as those who often get sunburned or use tanning beds often. But what should you do if you find a new mole on your body?

As mentioned before, a new mole is usually harmless. However, if you think that your mole looks strange or that it might be skin cancer, you should take a trip to your doctor. Your doctor should be able to examine the mole and determine whether or not it is something you should be worried about.

In some cases, the doctor may perform a biopsy which involves taking a piece of the mole and studying it under a microscope to see if it is made up of healthy cells or cancer cells. If it is made up of healthy cells, that means you are dealing with a healthy mole and you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

However, if you don’t like the look or placement of the mole, you might be wondering if there is a way to get rid of it. Fortunately, there are several ways in which you can get rid of a benign mole safely.

How to Get Rid of a Benign Mole

Thanks to modern technology, there are all sorts of ways to get rid of various types of benign moles. One of the most common ways to get rid of a mole is to freeze it off. This involves going to a specialist who has a special tool that applies freezing temperatures to your mole.

This will quickly kill the cells in the mole until the mole finally disappears. This method tends to be best for those who have upraised moles and small moles. Another common method involves surgery. This mainly involves using a very sharp scalpel to cut the mole out of the skin.

This will leave a scar, but as long as the mole is small, it shouldn’t cause a very large or noticeable scar. Keep in mind that you will be numbed for the procedure so that you won’t feel the incision when the doctor removes the mole. A similar procedure involves shaving the mole down.

This again requires the use of a very sharp scalpel. This method is best for upraised moles. The doctor can slowly scrape away the excess mole tissue and flatten the mole. That way, the color of your normal skin will show through rather than the color of the mole.

What to Know

However, without completely removing the mole, it may grow back at a later date, so keep that in mind. If surgical options don’t sound very appealing to you, you can also consider holistic options. For example, mole removal medicine may help to a certain extent, but only for benign moles.

If you are dealing with a malignant mole, your only option will be to go to a doctor and get it treated. Otherwise, the skin cancer could slowly spread and get worse. For benign moles, you can try certain essential oils to remove the mole.

Pure essential oils can burn the skin slightly but also are packed with antioxidants and other important nutrients that may sometimes help reduce the appearance of moles.

What to Do About a Benign Mole

A benign mole is nothing you should be worried about. People develop moles all the time and oftentimes for no reason. As long as the mole looks normal and does not show any atypical signs, the mole should not be a danger to you.

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