Is it dangerous to surgically remove congenital moles?
There is no danger in removing moles; on the contrary, removing a mole that is suspicious for cancer at an early stage can save lives.
The risk of developing cancer on congenital moles can be reduced. Is it?
Sunlight is a risk factor for the development of skin cancer. Therefore, the mole or moles and the entire skin excluding clothing should be protected from sunlight. You should not go out under the hot sun between 10:00 and 17:00, and when you have to go out, sunscreen with a protection factor of at least 30 should be used and bare skin should be covered with wide-brimmed hats and clothes.
Congenital mole appears when the baby is born. It is the name given to brown moles that appear up to the first 2 years of age and may change over time. Since there is a risk of developing mole cancer, especially in large-sized ones, it is recommended that they be followed up by dermatologists at regular intervals.
What is a congenital mole?
It is the name given to the brown moles that are found on the baby's body when it is born and can change over time. Small-sized moles are rarely present at birth and may appear in the first 2 years of life, which are called "late-appearing congenital moles".
How many types of congenital moles are they divided into? Congenital moles grow in proportion to the child's body as it develops and grows. They are divided into 4 groups according to their final size (diameter) they will reach at adulthood. Those smaller than 1.5 cm are called "small congenital moles", those between 1.5-20 cm are called "medium-sized congenital moles", those larger than 20 cm are called "large congenital moles", and those larger than 40 cm are called "giant congenital moles".
How common are congenital moles?
Small congenital moles occur approximately once in 100 births, large ones occur once in 20,000 births, and giant congenital moles occur once in 500,000 births.
Congenital moles occur approximately once in 500,000 births. What do moles look like?
Small and medium-sized congenital moles usually appear as sharply defined, flat-surfaced, light or dark brown spots, and sometimes as rough brown bumps. There may be differences in the colors on them (shades of brown, black, grey) and the surfaces (There may be hairs that are denser and more visible than the surrounding skin). Over time, roughness on the surface or existing bumps may become more evident and the hairs may thicken.
Large-diameter congenital moles are in the form of raised plaques of brown or black colored skin, often with coarse rough bumps and hard hairs resembling "cobblestones" on them. is available. They often contain different colors such as light-dark brown, black, gray.
Giant congenital moles are located in a large part of the body, such as the back, and cover a large part of the skin. Brown and black colored small and large bumps contain hard hairs.
A few or many small-diameter moles may be found around large and giant congenital moles.
>Are congenital moles dangerous?
Rarely, a mole cancer called "melanoma" may develop on congenital moles. The risk of developing melanoma is related to the size of the mole. The risk for small and medium-sized moles is very low, and melanoma usually occurs after adolescence. For large and giant congenital moles, the risk is 4.5-10% and melanoma can be seen in the pre-adolescent period.
Especially in the presence of large and giant congenital moles located on the head, neck and back, the condition called "neuro cutaneous melanosis" occurs. A disease that also affects the brain may occur. In this case, a constant state of sleepiness, restlessness, recurrent vomiting and epileptic seizures may occur in the baby, often within the first 3 years of age.
How should congenital moles be followed?
Following up congenital moles varies from patient to patient. The location of the mole, its size, and the negative effects it creates in terms of cosmetic and psychosocial aspects should be taken into consideration.
Those that are small in size and have a smooth surface, and are located in an area of the body that can be easily monitored, are followed up by dermatologists at regular intervals (such as 6 months-1 year). can be done. Follow-up is done with a device called a dermoscope, which allows examining the upper layers of the skin. In this way, changes that may occur in terms of potential cancer development can be detected at an early stage. Moles in areas that are difficult to follow, such as the scalp, can be removed surgically immediately if necessary. A mole that is large in size, has an uneven surface, and changes rapidly. r should often be removed at the earliest period.
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