What should you do if you damage a mole?

Although in some cases, damaging a mole can cause serious problems, the likelihood of this happening is quite low, so there is no need to panic in advance (but you should not let things slide either). What to do if you damage a mole and whether this will lead to the degeneration of the mole into a malignant neoplasm, a qualified doctor, whom you should contact as soon as possible, will explain to you.

Is damaging a mole dangerous?

Flat nevi are cellular clusters with a high concentration of pigment - melanin, and convex nevi are benign tumors that do not pose a health risk, but only if they are not injured. And if the nevus is damaged or completely torn off, problems may arise. There is a high probability that the cells of the mole will change their structure, becoming atypical, after which they will multiply much faster. The risk of subsequent development of skin cancer (melanoma) increases several times.

But this is only one of the possible options when a nevus is damaged - not in all cases does its injury lead to such bad consequences, sometimes everything ends well. A mole that was slightly injured simply heals and no longer gives cause for concern, and in place of the torn off one, a new benign nevus sometimes grows. But this is only possible when after the injury, the correct first aid is provided, for which you should consult a doctor.

Is it dangerous to damage a mole when shaving?

Damage to a mole when shaving can lead to the following consequences: deformation of the nevus itself, as well as damage to the skin. In addition, pain at the site of the cut, and in some cases bleeding from the wound may be observed.

Later, the wound heals and the person forgets about what happened, but it is at this stage that the behavior of the mole should be closely monitored. It is necessary to observe whether there are any changes in its shape, structure, etc., since a cut on a nevus can cause its subsequent degeneration into a malignant formation.

Consequences of damage to a mole

Damage to a nevus is one of the most common factors in the development of skin cancer, including basal cell carcinoma and melanoma. In the case of mechanical trauma, a benign tumor can transform into a malignant one, so if you have damaged a mole, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible. To avoid the consequences of damage to a mole, you must follow all the doctor's recommendations.

Redness around a nevus usually appears as a result of an inflammatory process and in most cases is not a dangerous signal for health. But when it does not go away after a few days, you should consult a doctor - this may be a symptom of some complication.

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Which doctor should I see if I damage a mole?

Nevi are a formation that appears as a result of pigmentation of skin cells, so to examine them, you should first contact a dermatologist. He deals with the treatment of skin diseases, performs an examination (primary visual, using a dermascope) and diagnostics. After that, if necessary, the dermatologist determines which specialist should be contacted for further treatment.

If the examination does not reveal any danger in the development of nevi (there is no threat of melanoma), the patient can monitor them independently, contacting a doctor only if such a need arises. But if the dermatologist has determined that the mole poses a health hazard, the patient is immediately referred to other doctors - a surgeon, a dermatologist-cosmetologist, an oncologist-mammologist or an oncodermatologist.

Treatment of damaged mole

To prevent infection from penetrating the wound, you should immediately treat it with any antiseptic solution and stop the bleeding if it appears. A completely torn off nevus should be given to a surgeon for histology (to determine the nature of the formation). In other cases, after the mole has healed, you should occasionally examine it for any changes - this will allow you to promptly notice possible degeneration into melanoma and prevent its development at the initial stage.

What to do if you damage a mole until it bleeds?

If you have damaged a mole to the point of bleeding, you should immediately stop the bleeding and disinfect the wound. To perform this procedure, you will need a clean bandage, as well as a disinfectant - a solution of chlorhexidine (at a concentration of 0.5%) and hydrogen peroxide (concentration of 3%).

The damaged mole should be washed with hydrogen peroxide (as much as possible) - for this, use a bandage, making a compress from it, soaked in the solution. Keep it on the wound for at least 15 minutes - during this time the bleeding should stop. In addition to stopping the blood, hydrogen peroxide also has an antiseptic effect.

After this, the damaged area should be washed with chlorhexidine. This antiseptic is more effective, and its effect lasts longer than the effect of peroxide. After stopping the bleeding, treat the wound with a bandage previously soaked in chlorhexidine. If this solution is not available, you can replace it with iodine (lubricate the edges of the wound with it). Next, you need to apply a sterile bandage to the mole and fix it with a sterile plaster.

You should then consult a doctor to get an objective assessment of the damage. The specialist will also advise you on whether the damaged mole needs to be removed.

What should I apply when I damage a mole?

If damaged, lubricate the injured area with a solution of hydrogen peroxide. This will prevent infection from entering the wound.

Doctors' advice

What to do if you damage a mole? In general, normal damage to the integrity of a nevus is not dangerous in itself, but in order to avoid unpleasant complications, you should treat this case carefully. If you notice that a damaged mole has begun to cause discomfort, has begun to increase in size, and a tumor has appeared at the site of damage, you should go to the doctor as soon as possible. To prevent the development of undesirable consequences, you can use the advice of doctors:

• If severe itching occurs in the area of the nevus, do not try to cauterize it with alcohol under any circumstances. You should consult a dermatologist;
• If the shape or size of a mole changes, you need to visit a surgeon to have it removed;
• If bleeding, inflammation or a change in the color of the nevus occurs, you should immediately visit an oncologist.