Moles-Usually Harmless, but Take No Chances

Moles are grouped cells containing pigment that appear as small brown spots, usually on your face, arms, legs, and torso, but the truth is, moles can develop anywhere on your body. The average person has anywhere from a total of ten to forty moles, with the number varying over time, as new ones can come into being and old ones disappear. Moles have a lifespan of approximately fifty years, and the majority of them are completely harmless. However, some moles, or nevus as they are known in medical circles, can become cancerous, and keeping a close eye on moles is vital in detecting some forms of skin cancer.

Cells called melanocytes manufacture a natural pigment that the skin gets its color from-melanin. Melanocytes lie in the top layers of the skin; when they grow in clusters they combine to form a mole. Researchers have yet to identify why moles come into existence and if they even have a purpose, but they do feel that they are determined before birth as to where they will wind up. Moles are most often a dark brown hue, but they can also be skin colored as well. Moles come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and usually show up during the first twenty or so years of a person's life. Exposure to the sun seems to increase the number of moles, and can also make them darker.