While it is necessary to be aware of any skin changes, it is also important to remember that in the majority of cases skin lesions are benign and thus pose no threat to one's health. To avoid being continually anxious about any moles, simply checking the skin monthly should usually suffice unless one has a personal or family history of melanoma or other skin cancers, in which case regular medical screening is normally advisable.
Understanding Common Skin Lesions
In Saving Your Skin, Dr. Kenet identifies five common types of normal skin lesions which include:
- compound nevus
- lentigo
- seborrheic keratosis
- actinic keratosis
- blue nevus
A compound nevus is a very common type of mole which is easily identified as being different from melanoma with its clearly marked smooth borders and uniformity in terms of colour, ranging from pink to a dark shade of brown. Lentigos are often known as "liver spots" and are typically less than one centimetre in width with a sharp border. These usually are a result of long-term sun damage and tend to appear on the face and hands. Seborrheic keratosis lesions most commonly affect the elderly and may often be difficult to distinguish from melanoma due to having a waxy brown-black appearance.
Actinic keratosis lesions involve a small risk of developing a form of skin cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma and tend to affect the face most of all, causing skin to become both red and scaly. The final common lesion is a blue nevus which is similar in terms of size to a lentigo and appears as a single lesion as well as being uniform in colour and shape.
Reasons to Remove Common Skin Lesions
There are three main reasons as to why a doctor may decide that removal of a skin lesion is the best course of action. Common reasons include the following: cosmetic reasons, skin irritation and location of the mole itself. Despite Marilyn Monroe being famous for having a mole or "beauty mark," not everyone feels comfortable having a mole and many prefer to be left with a small scar instead. Some moles can cause irritation if they are under a bra strap or where a belt fits and thus make it hard to identify whether changes are due to such irritation or other reasons.
A major reason for having a mole removed relates to it being located in a hidden area, including on the scalp or genitals. This make it hard for people to check to see if there are any changes making it possible for crucial early signs of melanoma to be missed.
As highlighted above, there are many different common lesions which are not usually anything to worry about. However, if moles have changed shape, colour or are causing irritation then seek medical advice as soon as possible.
Source:
Kenet, B. & Lawler, P. (1994) Saving Your Skin London: Four Doors Eight Windows
Kate Le Page - Kate Henning-Le Page writes about eating disorders, body image and recovery issues. She specializes in anorexia recovery.
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