Dermatologists Arcata CA

What's the difference between birthmarks, beauty marks, and moles?

Birthmarks are skin blemishes that form before you're born or shortly thereafter. Vascular ("strawberry") birthmarks tend to be areas of reddish, swelled skin thought to be caused by a non-harmful overgrowth of blood vessels. Moles can also occur as birthmarks, though most of us don't develop these until later. They're caused by a hyper-pigmentation of skin and are usually benign.

Beauty Marks are moles or birthmarks on the face, neck, or shoulder area. The term "beauty mark" has no medical basis; it comes from the historical idea that these are considered attractive.

Moles are the marks that should command your attention. You probably developed in-between 10 to 40 of these throughout childhood and adolescence. They can be raised or flat and come in a variety of colors. However, a change in a mole can be an early sign of melanoma, the skin cancer that kills more than 8000 Americans every year.

How do moles indicate melanoma?

The "tanning" cells in your skin - melanocytes - cluster and create moles. Melanoma tends to begin inside or next to moles. Since melanoma cells produce melanin, this leads to color and shape changes in your moles. By keeping an eye on them, you'll increase your chances of detecting a problem early. While melanoma can metastasize quickly, it's also 99% curable when detected early.

How can I track my moles?..

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