Definition
A birthmark or mole is a benign skin change. More precisely, it is an accumulation of pigment cells, so that the spot can be distinguished from the surrounding skin by its color. Birthmarks are usually monochrome and can take on different shades of brown to an almost black color.
They can exist from birth on. Mostly they develop from puberty on. The higher the age, the more moles/moles are usually present, so that babies usually have very few or no moles.
About every hundredth newborn baby is born with a birthmark. If a pigment spot is already present from birth, it is called a birthmark. If it develops only in the course of life, it is called a mole. Often, however, no distinction is made between the two terms and they are used as synonyms.
Causes
How and why moles develop is largely unknown – especially if the moles are already present from birth. If moles only appear in the course of childhood, both hereditary predisposition and solar radiation play a role. Moles are more common in people with a light skin type. Particularly red-haired people have a light skin type and as a result of this they usually have many moles.
When do moles start to appear?
Moles can already exist directly from birth, but these are the fewest. Most birthmarks appear around puberty and can also appear with increasing age. It is valid: The older a person, the more birthmarks he possesses. Accordingly, babies have the fewest moles or often none at all.
Which moles are dangerous?
In most cases birthmarks or other birthmarks, such as port-wine stains or a stork bite on a baby, are harmless. However, if the color, size or shape changes, this should be shown to a doctor, because then it can be a malignant degeneration. Also suspicious besides the change in appearance is an itchy, weeping or reddened birthmark.
A malignant birthmark can lead to black skin cancer, a so-called malignant melanoma. If a child has larger birthmarks/liver spots or particularly many birthmarks, there is a higher risk of malignant degeneration. Although malignant degeneration rarely occurs, birthmarks that are already present at birth should be observed more closely than moles that have only developed in the course of a lifetime, because on average, birthmarks degenerate more frequently than moles that develop later.
However, this does not mean that every birthmark should be removed directly for safety reasons. The risk of degeneration is still low. Liver spots and skin cancer – how to recognize the danger Most birthmarks or also called liver spots are completely harmless.
The same rules apply to babies as to adults. If a mole grows quickly, has blurred edges or grows in inappropriate places, a dermatologist should take a look at it. Basically, birthmarks are merely pigment accumulations from which there is no danger. However, some moles can degenerate and therefore a preventive check of all moles should be carried out at intervals of several years.
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