Call 909-348-2556 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

Call 909-348-2556 to speak with a licensed insurance agent.

What to Do About That Mystery Mole

Posted by Mansat Insurance Services, September 20, 2022

Skin is never flawless like the models in magazines, who are Photoshopped into unrealistic perfection. Most of us have a few (or even many) imperfections in our skin. And in the vast majority of cases, those minor flaws indicate nothing bad regarding our health.

But occasionally, you might begin to wonder about a mole. It might be one you’ve had for decades, or maybe it’s relatively new, but something about it just doesn’t look quite right. Should you be concerned about the possibility of skin cancer? And should you get that mystery mole removed?

That will depend upon your doctor’s opinion, of course. Any time you’re concerned about a strange mole or other skin blemish, definitely ask your primary care doctor for a referral to a dermatologist. But in the meantime, here’s what you should look for, regarding moles that could indicate a more serious problem.

Moles are simply a collection of pigment cells, called melanocytes. Moles are typically benign growths, meaning the cells only multiply when needed and it’s not out of control or harmful in any way.

But sometimes a mole becomes what we call “atypical”, meaning the cells begin to multiply at an abnormal rate. It’s not necessarily cancer at this stage, but it could be a warning sign that you’re at risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.

Learn the ABCDEs of moles. If a mole is potentially abnormal, you might notice one or more of the following signs. The mole is…

  • Asymmetrical
  • Borders are jagged or uneven
  • Color changes or the mole is multicolored
  • Diameter is larger than 6 millimeters
  • Evolving – the size, shape, or color is changing

If you notice any of these signs in a mole, do talk to your doctor right away. But don’t panic; typically, abnormal moles are removed, just in case, but they don’t always signal that anything serious has happened. Your dermatologist will examine the mole, perform a biopsy, and inform you of the next steps that are needed.

Need more information on your insurance options?

Contact us online to learn more

Contact Us

Close Accessibility Tools
Accessibility Controls Reset
Content Adjustments
Font Size

Default

Line Height

Default

Content Scaling

Default

Highlight Titles
Highlight Links
Highlight Forms
Align Left
Align Center
Align Right
Focus Mode
Color Adjustments
Desaturate
Monochrome
Contrast

Default

Saturation

Default

Accessibility Statement

Despite our attempts to make this website accessible for everyone, there may still be some pages or sections that are not completely accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or do not have a suitable technological solution to make them accessible. Nevertheless, we are always striving to enhance our accessibility by adding, updating, improving its options and features, and incorporating new technologies.

We want to provide our users with the best experience possible, so we strive to support as many browsers and assistive technologies as possible.

If you wish to contact this website's owner, please use the contact form on the website.

Our User Interface Adjustment Options

Font adjustments - With this tool, users can modify font size, style, letter spacing, and line height for improved alignment and readability.

Color adjustments - Users can customize their color contrast profiles to light, dark, desaturated, and monochrome.

Content highlighting - Users can prioritize key elements such as links, forms, and titles.

Content focus - Users can enable focus mode to highlight the current page information based on their mouse movement.

Close