Rough mole

Birthmarks can be found on the body of any person. Some moles begin to change with time. And often this leads to an increased risk of developing a tumor. If you notice that a sinewy birthmark has appeared on your body, this is most likely indicative of nevus degeneration. It is very important that the dermatologist follows this process. A rusty birthmark can be itchy during rebirth. Especially often unpleasant sensations appear due to a lack of vitamins, but one should not forget about the high risk of nevus degeneration into skin cancer.

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Causes of the rough mole

Moles or nevi are not considered malignant tumors by themselves. They can degenerate into cancer cells due to various causes. 

Immediately after birth, there is not a single birthmark on the child's body. Pigmented spots and nevi begin to appear only in the first year of life and continue to do this from time to time until death. Often moles begin to degenerate, become rough and uneven. Doctors call them keratomas.

As a rule, the appearance of a rough mole (keratoma) is a reaction of the skin to ultraviolet radiation. The normal process of keratinization is violated. Risk factors for the appearance of a rough mole are also sated: malnutrition, metabolic disorders, lack of vitamins and minerals, imbalance of hormones.

Very often, a rough mole appears on the site, which has been subjected to friction for a long time, to chemicals or ultraviolet radiation.

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Pathogenesis

The main factor that determines the development and the appearance of a rough mole, is the amount of ultraviolet irradiation that the body receives throughout its life. Heredity also plays an important role.

Ragged moles can be flat or slightly raised above the skin. Sometimes they appear in the first year of life, but more often they develop on the site of congenital nevuses with time. As a rule, the appearance of new spots occurs up to 30 years. If after 35 years on your body began to appear neoplasm in the form of rough moles, it is worth immediately contacting a dermatologist.

[3], [4]

Symptoms of the rough mole

Of course, almost every person has birthmarks on his body. Not all of them are malignant, so they do not always need to be removed. I happen to occasion that the congenital nevus begins to change externally quickly without any reason. The mole becomes rough to the touch, begins to peel off and strongly itch. Of course, a rough mole can be a consequence of a deficiency of vitamins and malnutrition. It is important to remember that a healthy birthmark should be smooth and soft to the touch, not to have any seals.

What should I pay special attention to if my mole has become rough to the touch?

1. Inside the nevus, suppuration appears and blood is drawn from it.
2. The mole often itches, there is a feeling of tingling or burning.
3. In its center appeared compaction.
4. When you touch the spot, you feel pain.
5. The mole becomes bumpy and rough.
6. In a short time, it grows rapidly.

Round rough mole

Safe are those birthmarks that are small in size, have a smooth surface and do not bother the person with the presence of itching or pain. A round rough mole is also not dangerous if its size does not exceed 5 mm and it does not protrude above the surface of the skin.

Pay special attention to round nevuses, which were smooth, but suddenly began to peel and itch. Also, dermatologists are advised to undergo diagnostics of round rough moles with a large diameter. Usually they appear already in adulthood and often change their size and color.

Rough mole in a child

In children, the number of nevi is always less than in adults. Usually they are no different from ordinary birthmarks. They have a light or dark brown color, smooth to the touch, sometimes slightly elevated above the skin.

The appearance of new pigment spots in children should not always be a cause for concern. In what cases should I immediately register for an appointment with a dermatologist?

1. Nevuses, which are quite large in size.
2. The surface of the birthmark is rough, and the skin around it is too dry.
3. The child accidentally tore or combed a rough mole.

Complications and consequences

In order to protect their children and themselves from the possibility of developing skin cancer, it is necessary from time to time to undergo diagnostics of tumors. A rusty birthmark can sometimes indicate that it has degenerated into a malignant growth of the skin or melanoma.

[5], [6], [7], [8], [9]

Diagnostics of the rough mole

After you seek help from a clinic, the dermatologist will first perform a thorough diagnosis of the rough mole. It is very important to inspect not only the nevus, because of which you came to the doctor, but also all birthmarks, even if they look quite harmless.

Do not worry right away. In most cases, peeling and itching in the mole does not indicate its degeneration into skin cancer. But, according to statistics, in 4-5% of cases, these symptoms lead to the development of melanoma.

What methods of diagnosing skin tumors are offered by modern oncology?

First of all, the doctor conducts examination of the rough mole. Visually, a professional specialist can see many different features of the nevus structure in order to determine if further diagnosis is necessary. Then comes the turn of histological studies. If there is a suspicion that the birthmark is reborn or has already degenerated into melanoma, after the removal of the tumor, a histology is mandatory. Histological examination gives a 100% accurate result.

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Analyzes

As a rule, the analysis of a mole, that is, a histological examination, for the presence of malignant cells in it, is carried out after removal of the nevus. During the operation, the doctor takes a small part of the rough mole and sends it to the laboratory. Histology is a morphological analysis of nevus tissue, which is carried out using a special microscope. In some cases, histological analysis is performed prior to surgery.

Recently, digital analysis of nevi has become very popular. For its conduct, doctors use the German system "Fotofinder". With its help, you can fix all the available characteristics of a rough mole, constantly monitor its development in dynamics. Thus, it is possible to control the growth of the nevus for a long time.

Molecular diagnostics is a method of diagnosis, during which a doctor can detect one single cell, affected by melanoma, among a million healthy ones.

Instrumental diagnostics

Today, there are many methods of instrumental diagnosis that allow time to notice the degeneration of a congenital nevus into a malignant neoplasm.

The most popular of these is dermatoscopy. The doctor uses a special apparatus (dermatoscope) to examine all the neoplasms on the patient's skin. Thanks to this method of diagnosis, a dermatologist can "look" inside a rough mole without performing additional tests. It allows you to determine the type of nevus, look at its structure and determine whether it is a benign entity.

Another modern method is computerized epiluminescent dermatoscopy (QED). With its help, you can follow the degenerating birthmarks. Thanks to the new technology, a dermatologist can not only examine all the details of the surface of the nevus, but also those changes that occur inside it. The main advantage of this method is the fact that the fabric of a rough mole is not injured at all.

Confocal microscopy is not such a popular method of diagnosis, but despite this, it is sometimes used when examining rough moles. Thanks to him you can study the skin at the cellular level. For this, a special microscope with infrared radiation is used.

Radioisotope skin scanning - in the process of diagnosis using this method, the doctor takes pictures of all those changes that occurred within the mole.

Differential diagnosis

When diagnosing a rough mole, it is very important to exclude the possibility of developing some other similar neoplasms: Bowen's disease, pigment xeroderma, senile keratoma, melanoma and basal cell carcinoma.

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Treatment of the rough mole

If you have a rough mole, do not worry prematurely. The development of such a nevus does not always mean that the birthmark has become melanoma. Of course, you need to immediately make an appointment with a doctor, even if the rough mole does not bother you at all. Only carrying out a thorough and professional diagnosis will help to completely exclude the possibility of the appearance of a malignant tumor.

Removing a rough mole

There are several ways to remove a rough mole:

1. Cryodestruction - helps to get rid of a rough mole with liquid nitrogen. Cold affects nevus cells, destroying them. In the process of such removal, a very low temperature is used.
2. Electrocoagulation - current is used to remove tumors on the skin. As a rule, the procedure runs from 5 to 20 minutes (depending on the size of the birthmark) and does not leave scarring on the skin.
3. Laser Surgery - allows you to get minimal damage to the skin and completely remove the nevus in a short time.
4. Sclerotherapy.
5. Radio wave surgery with the help of apparatus "Surgitron".

In the event that a rough mole has appeared because of the degeneration of the congenital birthmark into melanoma, surgical intervention is the only correct method of treatment.

Medications

The most effective medicine for the treatment of a rough mole is the ointment "Stephalin". It is based on herbal ingredients, without any chemical additives. Thanks to this remedy, it is possible to get rid of benign neoplasms painlessly and easily. It does not leave scarring or scars on the skin, acting gently on the skin. The main advantage is that the ointment can be used at home.

Before using drugs and alternative methods for treating a rough mole, you should consult a dermatologist!

Alternative treatment and herbal treatment

1. Lemon and garlic juice - for the treatment of a rough mole, every day, lubricate it first with the juice of one clove of garlic, and then (2-3 seconds later) with lemon juice. Remember that the procedure must be repeated throughout the day.
2. If the rough mole is large, first you need to cleanse the body of toxins with a special rice diet. But it's worth remembering that this method takes at least 45 days.

Prevention

Some special types of prevention of the appearance of rough moles are difficult to identify. But you can eliminate those factors that affect their development:

1. Cover the skin (especially those where new birthmarks have appeared) from ultraviolet.
2. Try to avoid skin contact with various chemicals.
3. Do not use those nutritional supplements that increase the chance of developing malignant tumors.
4. Carefully watch for the appearance of new formations on the skin.
5. Visit an dermatologist every year.
6. Try not to injure neoplasms.

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Forecast

Not always the appearance of a rough mole indicates the development of skin cancer. But they can not be left without attention of the dermatologist. Due to the timely consultation, you can completely dispel your doubts and begin the correct treatment. Remember that in the early stages of melanoma development the prognosis is favorable.

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