As we might already know we have different types of cells in our bodies.
Our skin is a tissue that is constituted of different types of cells like keratinocytes (keratin producing cells) and melanocytes.
A melanocyte is a cell that is in charge of manufacturing melanin.
Melanin is a pigment that causes different skin colors in people.
For example, people with a higher production of melanin will have a darker skin color, while people with little or no melanin will have fairer skin.
When melanocytes accumulate in a particular area of the skin, the skin will appear with a greater degree of pigmentation because of all of the melanin that is being produced.
Melanin will in turn give a darker coloration to that specific area in which melanocytes accumulated, giving rise to what we call a mole.
Melanin production is stimulated by direct sunlight.
Moles can vary in size, shape and color.
They are usually small and their color usually ranges from dark brown to black, but some moles might have other different colorations and can have different shades of brown and pink.
According to MedlinePlus, most people have between 10 and 40 moles on their skin.
Most moles will not cause any problems to many people, but some moles might develop into melanoma, a condition in which the melanocytes will start dividing excessively (type of skin cancer).
Potentially dangerous moles usually present specific characteristics like unusual borders, unusual colorations, and unusual size.
Knowing the ABCDE's of melanoma can also help you identify this condition, since it is a really easy to memorize and each letter represents the most common characteristics of melanoma: A=Assymetry (if you divide the mole in half each half won't be equal), B=border, C=color, D=diameter, (mole should not be big), and E=evolution (change of a mole over time).
Make sure you check your moles regularly to ensure that you do not develop any type of unusual growth on your skin.
If one of your moles has an unusual appearance and you think that it might be melanoma you might have that mole removed.
Also, if you just don't like how a mole looks you can also have it removed.
The most common methods for removing a mole include surgical removal and laser removal.
Malignant melanoma is one of the most deadliest forms of cancer we know.
In case you are concerned about your mole turning into a melanoma or have any questions, visit your doctor and he or she will perform the specific tests to determine if you have melanoma or are at risk of developing this condition.
Also, if you want to have a mole removed because you do not like the way it looks, visit your doctor and he or she will provide you with all the information that you need.