Moles: Are They Beauty Marks Or Early Signs Of Skin Cancer?

Moles are commonly known as beauty spots or birthmarks but are scientifically identified as melanocytic nevi. Moles are also being thoroughly examined because they have a risk of downstream melanoma development.¹

While not every new or changing mole is cancerous, it’s essential to keep track of moles with the help from regular systematic mole checks in Singapore. Although melanoma is not the most common type of skin cancer, it is often the most severe because it can spread quickly to other parts of the body. This can complicate treatment, resulting in a poor outlook.²

That is why it is essential to keep a lookout and get an early diagnosis, so you can receive prompt treatment if needed. Here is an overview of moles, and how they can act as an early sign of melanoma.

Causes of moles

When cells, called melanocytes, develop in clusters instead of being spread throughout the skin, moles will form. These cells are the ones that make the melanin pigment that gives our skin colour. These moles can darken when exposed to the sun, and also grow during puberty and pregnancy.

When looking out for potential melanoma signs, you need to watch out for two types of moles: congenital nevi and dysplastic nevi.³

Congenital nevi: These moles are usually present at birth or appear shortly after birth. These moles appear in about 1 in 100 people. When viewing from a pathogenic viewpoint, noticing any terminal hair follicles or any growth may indicate a congenital lesion.⁴

Dysplastic nevi: These moles are more prominent than average ones, being comparable or bigger than a pencil’s eraser. They have an irregular shape with borders that are not well-defined and are also more prominent, with an uneven colour with dark brown centres.⁵

Those with more than 10 of these moles are 12 times likelier to develop melanoma. Hence, anyone who encounters change or development of these moles should consult a skin dermatologist in Singapore.

Identifying the difference

Because the signs of melanoma resemble moles, it’s hard to tell whether it’s just a beauty mark or something more serious. To identify potential melanoma, it is recommended to use the “ABCDE rule” or the “ugly duckling sign”.⁶

ABCDE rule

First introduced in 1985 as the ABCD rule and expanded to ABCDE in 2004, this features several characteristics of melanoma.⁶

Asymmetry: Melanoma moles are asymmetrical, meaning they have an irregular shape. Benign moles are more uniform and symmetrical.

Border: As mentioned above, melanoma has edges that are not well-established because it’s asymmetrical. On the other hand, the boundaries for non-cancerous moles are smooth and well-defined.

Colour: Melanoma lesions come in more than one colour or shade. Moreover, the colour can differ from other moles on the patient’s body. Moles that are harmless usually only has one colour.

Diameter: Melanoma growths are typically bigger than 6mm in diameter, around the size of a normal pencil’s eraser.

Evolution: Over time, melanoma may change characteristics, such as size, shape or colour.

The ‘ugly duckling rule’

The “ugly duckling sign” was later developed to alleviate some of the limitations of the ABCDE rule. It is based on the fact that the “spot” looks different from the others since moles tend to look alike.⁶

You can combine it with the ABCDE rule to make it the ABCDEF rule, where F stands for “funny-looking”, where the mole that looks different is suspect of malignancy.⁶

These methods provide a simple, general framework for patients to identify potential melanomas at home.

Intellistudio

As part of an advanced mole mapping procedure, Angeline Yong Dermatology uses the Intellistudio, which combines studio-quality lighting with intelligent automation. Intellistudio’s camera, DermaGraphix, can capture images that can ensure repeated and consistent facial and body photography in both non-polarised and cross-polarised lighting.

Moreover, DermaGraphix can identify lesions on the overview image, depending on the clinician’s criteria. It also has a spiral diagram mode, which is used to get a close-up view of the “ugly duckling” identified by the dermatologist.

This data is then recorded into the DermaGraphix Dashboard, which helps organise dermoscopy images for review and assessment. The captured dermoscopic photos are linked to a body map, and those associated with a lesion are automatically assigned a unique number.

DermaGraphix also has video capabilities with LED lighting that includes record, playback, and zoom features to ensure better accuracy. This allows the dermatologist to capture any missed data during the session. The Intellistudio also has face recognition to adjust the monitor to the patient’s height.

By combining DermaGraphix with Canfield’s MatchPose® image capture and management tool, Intellistudio helps register accurate before and after images for efficient exams and detailed follow-ups.

Protecting yourself from skin cancer

Conclusion

Before visiting a dermatology clinic, it is recommended that you visit a dermatologist who specialises in skin cancer management for a consultation.

Aside from mole checks in Singapore, Angeline Yong Dermatology also offers skin cancer screening to get a thorough analysis to develop the best personal treatment plan to remove the malignant moles on the body.

As an expert dermatologist and skin cancer specialist, Dr Yong offers comprehensive care that combines surgical, medical and cosmetic skin solutions in her clinic. She is a mohs micrographic surgeon, skilled in the treatment and removal of skin cancers as well as cutaneous reconstruction of resultant skin defects.

Dr Yong has also undergone various prestigious dermatology fellowships worldwide such as at the St John’s Institute of Dermatology, London where she trained in Mohs Micrographic Surgery and the comprehensive management of skin cancers, and at Mt Sinai Hospital, New York where she undertook further fellowship training in dermatologic surgery and cosmetic dermatology.

Moreover, she is a member of both the British Society of Dermatologic Surgery and the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, as well as the American College of Mohs Micrographic Surgery.

Should you notice unusual moles growing on your skin, please book an appointment at AYD and consult us today.

References

Koh, U., Janda, M., Aitken, J. F., Duffy, D. L., Menzies, S., Sturm, R. A., Schaider, H., Betz-Stablein, B., Prow, T., Soyer, H. P., Green, A. C. (2018). ‘mind your moles’ study: Protocol of a prospective Cohort Study of melanocytic naevi. BMJ Open, 8(9). https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2018-025857

Morales-Brown, L. (2021, January 13). Cancerous moles: Symptoms, treatment, prevention, and more. Medical News Today. Retrieved April 14, 2022, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/cancerous-moles

Elder, D. E. (2006). Precursors to melanoma and their mimics: Nevi of special sites. Modern Pathology, 19(S2). https://doi.org/10.1038/modpathol.3800515

Bär M. (2012). Spitz and Reed nevi: acquired or congenital?. Dermatology practical & conceptual, 2(3), 203a05. https://doi.org/10.5826/dpc.0203a05

Goldstein, A. M., & Tucker, M. A. (2013). Dysplastic nevi and melanoma. Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology, 22(4), 528–532. https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-12-1346

Daniel Jensen, J., & Elewski, B. E. (2015). The ABCDEF Rule: Combining the “ABCDE Rule” and the “Ugly Duckling Sign” in an Effort to Improve Patient Self-Screening Examinations. The Journal of clinical and aesthetic dermatology, 8(2), 15.

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Moles: Are They Beauty Marks Or Early Signs Of Skin Cancer?￼

Moles: Are They Beauty Marks Or Early Signs Of Skin Cancer?