Video
Body Check – Moles Transcript.
Dr Christian: Moles are generally harmless but they can develop into a deadly form of skin cancer – called a malignant melanoma.
To increase the chances of successful treatment the cancer must be spotted early,
Which is where you come in. Checking your own moles is the most efficient and fast way to spot a problem.
New moles can occur at any time – they form where there’s a concentration of pigment, which can just happen or can result from sun exposure.
Moles naturally come in a range of shapes, sizes and colours and can even be hairy. These in themselves are nothing to worry about. It’s any changes or unusual characteristics that are important. Use the simple ABCD rule to spot these changes.
A stands for Asymmetry. Look to see if the shape of the mole is different from one side to the other.
B is for Border. The edges of the mole shouldn’t be blurred or jagged.
C stands for Colour. Look out for changes or if the mole develops different shades or patchy colouring.
Finally D is for Diameter. Check if the mole increases in size and particularly look out for any mole measuring more than 6 millimeters, which is about the size of the end of a pencil. If any of these changes occur you should make an appointment to see your doctor.Also, if a mole reddens, itches or bleeds you should get it seen as soon as possible.
For this body check and others featured on the site we want to hear about your findings so please come back to share your results and discuss them with other site users.
Examine your moles regularly to check for new ones or changes to the old ones. You should also check in hard to reach places; moles can appear anywhere on the body. Use a mirror or get a friend to help. Taking a well-lit photo is a great way to compare changes over time.
And if you have any concerns do contact your GP.
Body Check: Moles
Moles are generally harmless but they can lead to a deadly form of skin cancer called a malignant melanoma. In this video, Dr Christian explains what to look out for when checking your moles.
New moles can develop at any time. Moles generally come in a range of shapes, sizes and colours. They are normally nothing to worry about, unless they start to change and develop unusual characteristics. Use the simple A B C D rule to spot these changes.
A – Asymmetry, a mole shouldn’t differ from one side to the other.
B – Border, the edges of the mole shouldn’t be blurred or jagged.
C – Colour, look out for any changes in colour or patchy shades.
D – Diameter, check to see if a mole increases in size or if it is larger than 6mm across.
Also check to see if a mole reddens itches, crusts or bleeds and if you spot any of these changes, make an appointment and see your GP.
We want to hear about your findings, so please click the link below and add your results to our national survey.
+++Update+++
From the 13th – 20th May 2009 we conducted a National Health Survey to find out how many people had potentially problematic moles. Below are the detailed results.
Most of you who responded had normal looking moles, but around 10% of you found ones with either asymmetric or irregular borders. These are often benign, but if you are worried, or you spot changes to your moles, get them checked out. A good way to check for changes is to take a photo of your mole at regular intervals. That way you can judge whether the mole is changing, and take the pictures to your doctor if necessary.
Around a fifth of you reported itchy moles. This is definitely something that you should see your GP about, especially if they are painful or start to bleed regularly.
A small number of you also reported moles that had reddened suddenly, which comes under the ‘c’ for change warning sign. This can be a normal pigment change, but it could also be indicative of a mole turning malignant, so should be checked out by a medical professional.
Normal Moles – 56%
Irregular Border – 3%
Uneven Colour – 1%
Assymetric – 9%
Large Diameter – 8%
None – 23%
Yes
NoComments and Questions
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Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.
I'm 30 and I've got a small mole appear about a year ago. It's very light in colour, in fact barely visible. But very slightly raised. However over the last couple of days it's become really itchy. In fact yesterday it's was crumbly like a scab and I couldn't help but pick it a bit. Is this normal? I'm too embarrassed to go to the doctor just for this and I've been there so often recently for a different reason I'm sure they will just think I'm a hypo!
i have more appearing black spot on my face and body. and it giving me low self estime, im only 23 .
I have had a mole on the wall, or 'face of my Vagina right at the hairline bellow my bellybutton for as long as I can remember. Never had it checked cause I dont feel that comfortable going to the doctor if there is nothing wrong. One of the warning signs is 'ugly'. Well mine is that, I hate it! It's dark, irregular with rough edges...should I get it checked? It doesnt hurt, but is embarrassing when I am intimate with my man....although he doesnt care!
Hello. Is it normal to get more moles as you get older? I have tiny ones appearing on my face. Like freckles but they're a tiny bit bigger so I think they're moles. Should I use a SPF 15 or 30 to stop this or is this just normal? I'm 16 years old. Thanks!
im 21 just had a baby 5 month ago i have just noticed a warty looking thing on the bottom of my leg i called to see my gp he said it looked like a mole but it hurts and when i shave it cuts and pores of blood is this something to worry about/get second opinion
Im eighteen and i have quite alot of moles on my body and some appearing, I have quite a few on my face On both hands i have 6 on each hands some lighter than others. Some on both legs Few on my belly On my neck On my boobs i have two but ones bigger than the other its got a light brown border and then dark brown mole ontop im thinking it could be a skin tag ontop of a mole? is it normal to have so many moles?
I have a mole on the top of my leg which I have had for 3 years or so. It used to itch but no longer does so. The mole seems to be very flat on the surface but feels very hard and feels as if it is growing inwards as opposed to out. I went to my GP practice 6 months ago and was seen by the practice nurse who brushed it off as nothing to get worried over. i came out feeling as if I was being over concerned. Should I be?
Is it usual & ok for a new mole to appear on the palm of my hand? I am 43 & female.
I am sixteen and I have 50 moles up one arm and many more on the rest of my body as far as i know ive had them my whole life. My girlfriend loves them but It is very difficult to keep track to see if i have new ones appearing and get them checked out so far they are all fine but i dont want to let my guard down. Any suggestions?
In the last year & a half I've noticed a new mole right in the middle of my chest. At first I thought it was a bit of food or something but when I tried to wash it off it wouldn't. I've looked closely at it with an magnifying glass and its got tiny black dots in it. Should I be worried? ps I'm 15
