For: SkinMedica BeautyTalk Publish Date: May 30th, 2012 Author: Panos Vasiloudes, MD, PhD, FAAP, FAAD
Skin cancer affects over 2 million people each year, making it the most common form of cancer. Accordingly, every patient should make mole checks a priority at least once a year. A mole can be more than just an aesthetic nuisance: Though often benign in nature, moles are a very specific type of lesion that may require medical assessment.
The term “mole” is used generically to describe many types of spots on the skin—freckles, beauty marks, sunspots and birthmarks, to name a few. Clinically speaking, a mole is a lesion comprised of melanocyte cells (the cells responsible for producing skin pigment). When these cells multiply, benign moles known as secondary nevi may form. When the growth and
