What happens if you damage a mole on your skin while exercising? Answered by a doctor

Moles on the skin can be injured not only in everyday life, but also during exercise. Careless interaction with sports equipment can cause damage.

There is an opinion that any intervention and damage to the skin, which has a large number of birthmarks, fraught with serious diseases for a person. Is this true?

doctor-dermatologist, oncologist JSC “Medicine” (Clinic of Academician Roitberg)

Indeed, moles can carry danger and become the cause of malignant formations. But not all formations are so critical, and with periodic examination by a doctor, proper care and will not bother a person at all.

Moles are pigmented or pigmentless formations that are located on the skin. Most of them do not cause harm and accompany us throughout our lives. For any unusual changes in such manifestations, it is important to keep an eye on them to prevent inflammation and other consequences.

The main danger of moles is that they can be traumatized and reborn. But in most cases, pigmented neoplasms on the skin are benign, that is, they do not pose a threat.

Spots on the skin appear at birth or in the first years of a person’s life. The peak of the formation of new moles or growth of existing ones are considered to be the periods of puberty and pregnancy. In addition, the increase in their number in middle-aged people can be influenced by strong ultraviolet radiation.

Should you worry if you have many moles on your body?

The number of moles on the human body is genetic. The number of them you have and where they are located, says nothing about the increased risk of malignant tumor development.

However, there are formations in the presence of which it is necessary to urgently intervene – removal. The procedure is prescribed and carried out only by a doctor.

When do I need to worry?

Any birthmarks can bring a lot of problems, especially if they are large and over time become even larger, with fuzzy edges, as well as exposed to direct UV radiation.

If a mole has accompanied you since birth and does not change over time, there is no need to treat it. Indicators for immediate medical attention are:

• inflammation of the formation and the area around it, the appearance of pain;
• mole increase in size, change in shape and color;
• the appearance of pigment spots or nodules.

Indications for removal are considered large and over the years increased size, the appearance of small nodules on the mole and around it, pigmented areas, loss or increase in uniform pigmentation.

What happens if you peel off a mole?

If you peeled off a mole in the household or during training, you need to treat it immediately. If there are cancer cells in the damaged formation on the skin, there is a risk of developing cancer – so it is important to consult a specialist to exclude or confirm the diagnosis.

According to statistics, 20-30% of malignant growths arise from moles, and it is better to make sure that damage to your mole will not lead to this. If the diagnosis is still confirmed, a complex treatment is carried out.