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Why does it scratch the mole and what to do?

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 11.04.2020
 
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We all have birthmarks, and are so used to them that we do not even notice them on the body, and especially do not pay much attention to them, if there is no special reason for that. Birthmarks are darker than the skin color, which are formed when the melanin pigment is not properly synthesized. In their majority, such education is not dangerous until the time when they begin to change color, size, structure.

Causes of the itching in the area of a mole

Brown spots on the body are cells with a high content of melanin, a pigment that stains the skin in a darker than natural color. In the usual situation, birthmarks should not cause any discomfort to a person, but if there are discomforts, including an itch in the mole - this should be noted, since this may be a sign of malignancy.

If you have an itch in the area of a mole, pay attention to your clothes, or rather to its convenience. Unnecessarily tight or uncomfortable clothing can provoke itching in the area of the nevus, since friction of the tissues can irritate the birthmark. Solve this problem quite simply - you need to wear a more spacious, suitable for your figure clothes. Also itch can mole from irritation afterwards.

The second reason: if the mole is itchy, reddened, swollen, there are signs of inflammation, peeling and may even increase in size, which means that the cells began to divide too quickly. This is dangerous and can lead to a rapid increase in nevus, and hence the formation of melanoma (skin cancer).

The third reason is hormonal changes in the body, which can be caused by pregnancy, medication, during menopause in women.

Also one of the reasons for the appearance of age spots is excessive ultraviolet radiation, because long-term exposure to the sun is fraught with severe skin burns and increases the risk of cancer.

trusted-source[1], [2]

Symptoms of the itching in the area of a mole

To determine the importance of the situation and on time to come for help to a doctor, you should pay attention to the following symptoms:

  • Birthmark changes shape and structure.
  • Can itch and even peel.
  • Causes pain and burning sensation.
  • Color changes, can become uneven, darker or lighter.
  • Cracks or other non-typical formations appear on the surface.
  • Fluids or blood are discharged.
  • Hairs growing on the surface of the hair fall out.

Also, if a new birthmark appears on the body (back, neck or legs) and itches - you should consult a dermatologist.

Where does it hurt?

Complications and consequences

If the mole is itching, and you still do not consider it necessary to contact a doctor and conduct a detailed examination and determine the reasons, it is possible that the birthmark may mutate and become a malignant tumor. Treatment of this pathology will be more problematic.

After the removal of the mole, complications may occur: the wound can bleed, red spots and itching appear around the scar, the temperature rises, pus or other discharge is released. If there are such symptoms - you need to go to the clinic for examination and eliminate the cause.

trusted-source[3], [4], [5], [6]

Diagnostics of the itching in the area of a mole

For all the changes that can occur with your neoplasms it is necessary to follow and in any changes contact a dermatologist if:

  • the birthmark increases in size and itches,
  • itches the area around the birthmark,
  • the nevus is flushed and itch,
  • the mole has inflamed, swelled up and itched.
  • the birthmark is scaly, but itch
  • the traumatized birthmark itches and can even bleed.

What to do if it's a mole?

With the above symptoms, it is strictly forbidden to touch or scratch the mole with foreign objects (knife, scissors, scratch with a fingernail or pick with a toothpick), even if it is in hard-to-reach places (mole on the back, mole on the neck). If the birthmark is damaged or bleeding, treat the affected area with hydrogen peroxide and consult a doctor. Long delay with a bleeding nevus is not recommended, since it leads to irreversible changes.

The first signs that your birthmark is reborn may be an increase in the size of the stain, itching, darkening, redness, bleeding, swelling.

If the mole itself or a place around it begins to peel off - this is the first sign that it is worth asking for an oncologist. He will carry out all the necessary research and will give an opinion about whether this is a symptom of a cancer.

To what doctor to go, if the mole is itching? First of all, of course to the dermatologist, who will conduct the examination, diagnosis, send for analysis, and then coordinate the actions that have been submitted.

If the mole is scratched after removal, especially it is not necessary to worry, so it can heal. If this itching causes you discomfort and is difficult to endure, you can gently press the finger pad with a finger pad on the distant birthmark. This method can help for a while. If the remote birthmark is scratched long enough and you are worried about it - contact a dermatologist.

After examining the dermatologist and depending on the results of the tests, the doctor can refer the patient to dermoscopy. This study, which is carried out using a dermatoscope - a device that is equipped with a magnifying lens, which allows you to consider the birthmark more carefully. Also, using a dermatoscope, you can take a digital snapshot of the lesion.

This device helps the doctor-specialist to make sure of the good quality of the birthmark and diagnose melanoma in the early stages. If a cancer is suspected, the dermatologist may also send a biopsy to a follow-up examination . This procedure is performed under local anesthesia. Types of biopsy:

  • shaving - is used to study moles with a low risk of developing melanoma. For a more serious suspicion of cancer, the thickness of the cell cut can be inadequate.
  • puncture - a study in which three layers of skin are cut, which makes it possible to obtain more informative material.
  • excision and incisive - complete or partial removal of the tumor, which could germinate into the layers of the skin.

trusted-source[7], [8], [9], [10]

How to examine?

Differential diagnosis

Diagnosis of pruritus in the mole provides a careful study of the patient's education on the skin, which in the future will make it possible to avoid more serious complications ( skin cancer ). Inspection is carried out by a physical method at sufficient illumination with use of a magnifying glass; also by the method of palpation, the lymph nodes are examined.

Also, attention should be paid to the asymmetry of the increase, the discoloration, the birthmark density, the appearance of redness, the occurrence of itching, burning, or other uncharacteristic sensations in the mole.

Who to contact?

Treatment of the itching in the area of a mole

Alternative medicine claims that there are remedies that help get rid of the itch in the mole. In some cases, they can even lead to the disappearance of the nevus. For example:

  • Mixture of lemon with garlic - alternately moisten a cotton swab or disk in the juice of garlic or lemon and lubricate the birthmark. The procedure is recommended to be repeated about 6 times a day and the itching should pass.
  • Treatment with herbs - celandine juice: lubricate with the liquid that the plant exposes the problem areas of the skin. This method of treatment can even rid of moles in general. Scientifically, this is not proven.
  • A solution of acetic acid (9% vinegar) - you need to drip the solution on the itching mole 6-7 days, but not more than a drop.

Follow the alternative medicine and use the proposed methods can, but you need to consult a specialist for examination.

Operative treatment

Surgical treatment of moles is nowadays the most common and often used. In this case, local anesthesia and excision of the nevus are performed. After removal, cosmetic sutures are applied, which are removed more often after 6-7 days. The average duration of excision of the birthmark with a scalpel is about an hour.

The minus of surgical treatment is that at the site of removal a light scar is formed. This method is good in that in this way any undesirable formation can be removed, regardless of its size and depth of penetration.

If the scar is scratched after the removal of the birthmark, it means that the wound healing process is underway and in no case can one scratch or tear this place.

Removing harmless moles that do not cause any discomfort does not make any sense, since the appearance of melanoma in their place is very rare. To excise the same birthmark which can be modified only at the insistence of an experienced dermatologist or an oncologist.

Prevention

To avoid irreversible changes in moles, some rules should be observed:

  • Do not wear tight clothes (especially dangerous and require attention of the birthmark in the waist, shoulders (seat of the strapless), soles, inner side of the thighs);
  • To follow the dynamics of moles (large birthmarks are more likely to degenerate into malignant formations);
  • After swimming in rivers, lakes, seas and other bodies of water, it is necessary to wipe dry, because drops in the sun turn into lenses and stimulate a larger influx of solar radiation;
  • Sunbathe until 10 am and after 15.00;
  • It is strictly forbidden to sunbathe pregnant women, because during this period there is a hormonal alteration of the body and excessive exposure to the sun can provoke the degeneration or appearance of new birthmarks;
  • Tanning in the solarium to cover with special stickers all the moles on the body;
  • Avoid injury to moles (do not scratch, do not scratch, do not touch foreign objects).
  • People who have a lot of birthmarks must undergo regular preventive examinations.

trusted-source[11], [12], [13], [14]

Forecast

Talking about it will be all good or very bad hard enough. Everything depends on the consciousness of the person and external factors. It is necessary to monitor your health, in time to eliminate the causes of possible complications. If you do not injure the birthmark and carefully monitor the existing ones - the sad consequences can be avoided in time.

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