Moles: benign and cancerous types

Moles are coloured spots on the skin caused by groups of cells called melanocytes. They can vary in size and colour and can be raised or flat to the skin.

Most people have moles. They're usually nothing to worry about unless they change size, shape or colour.

Most moles are harmless

Mole on white skin that is round, with even edges and a light brown colour — Most moles are round or oval-shaped, with a smooth edge

Oval mole on white skin with multiple hairs growing from it, and brown in colour — Sometimes moles have hair growing from them.

Round mole that is deep brown in colour on brown skin — Moles are usually darker on brown and black skin.

It's normal for:

babies to be born with moles
new moles to appear up to your 30s - especially in children and teenagers
moles to fade or disappear as you get older
moles to get slightly darker during pregnancy

Moles and skin cancer

Some moles can develop into melanoma. This is a serious form of skin cancer.

About half of melanomas develop in a new mole. The other half develop from changes in an existing mole.

It’s important to:

check your moles regularly for any changes
know the difference between a normal mole and a melanoma

ABCDE of moles and checking your moles for changes

Check your moles regularly for:

any changes
a new mole - especially after your mid 30s

You can check your skin for changes by learning the ABCDE of moles. This can help you spot if a mole is cancerous.

Symptoms of melanoma and ABCDE of moles

Non-urgent advice: Go to a GP if a mole:

changes shape or looks uneven
changes colour, gets darker or has multiple colours
starts itching, crusting, flaking or bleeding
gets larger or more raised from the skin
looks different from all your other moles

These changes can happen over weeks or months. They are sometimes a sign of melanoma, a type of skin cancer.

Signs of melanoma include:

a mole on white skin that has more than 2 colours and has an uneven shape — A mole with multiple colours including brown, black and pink.

A mole on white skin that has uneven borders. — A mole with an irregular border and multiple colours including brown, black and purple.

A mole on white skin that is crusting and raised — A raised mole with crusting skin and multiple colours.

Treating moles

If your GP thinks it's melanoma, they will refer you to a specialist in hospital. You will get an urgent appointment.

The main treatment for melanoma is surgery to remove the mole.

Treatment for melanoma

Removing moles for cosmetic reasons

Most moles are harmless. Removing benign or harmless moles does not reduce the risk of a person developing melanoma in the future.

We do not usually treat harmless moles but you can get these removed in a private clinic.

You may not like the look of a mole and want to remove it for cosmetic reasons. You can pay a private clinic to do this.

Mole removal may be expensive. Your GP can give you advice about where to get it removed.

How to protect your moles

Melanoma skin cancer cannot always be prevented.

Getting sunburnt is the main risk for melanoma.

Ultraviolet (UV) light from the sun can increase the chance of a mole becoming cancerous. This is because it damages the DNA in skin cells.

Avoid getting sunburnt or developing a tan. The tan which you develop is a sign that the UV light has damaged your skin.

There are things you can do to protect your skin during bright weather, even if there are clouds in the sky. It does not need to be hot or sunny for UV rays to cause sun damage

Do

stay in the shade between 11am and 3pm, when UV rays are strongest
cover your skin with clothes
wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses
put on a high factor sunscreen (SPF 30 or above) with UVA protection at least 20 minutes before sun exposure
reapply sunscreen every 2 hours, after swimming and more often if you are sweating