A member of the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, Dr. Rajan Bhatt is a successful cardiologist who has been practicing for nearly two decades. Rajan Bhatt also draws on extensive healthcare leadership experience spanning over a decade and leads three healthcare-based companies in Scottsdale, Arizona, including Spectrum Dermatology and Spectrum Plastic Surgery. At the former, he supervises a team of dermatological professionals who diagnose and treat skin conditions such as warts and moles.
Scientifically called dysplastic nevi, atypical moles are moles (a type of abnormal skin lesion) that have no accurate morphological characteristics. Contrary to regular moles, typically round or oval, atypical moles have no definite shape and tend to transform morphologically with time. One of the key features of atypical moles is that they are asymmetrical.
To self-evaluate a mole for asymmetry, position the side of a ruler in the middle of the mole and draw a line across the middle section. If the two halves are identical, the mole is symmetrical. The mole is asymmetrical if the two halves differ in shape and/or size. Other signs of atypical moles include notched or scalloped edges (border irregularity), a multi-colored mosaic appearance, and large sizes (6 mm or larger).
Atypical moles are dangerous since they can potentially transition into a serious skin cancer called melanoma. People with more than 10 atypical moles are 12 times more susceptible to skin cancer. The risk is increased further by a family history of skin cancer, photosensitivity, frequent sunburns, and/or freckles. For this reason, it's ideal for monitoring all moles and taking note of any changes, especially those that are present with the aforementioned warning signs, which may also indicate cancer. Ideally, get your moles checked by a dermatologist periodically, or check with a dermatologist immediately when changes are observed.
Scientifically called dysplastic nevi, atypical moles are moles (a type of abnormal skin lesion) that have no accurate morphological characteristics. Contrary to regular moles, typically round or oval, atypical moles have no definite shape and tend to transform morphologically with time. One of the key features of atypical moles is that they are asymmetrical.
To self-evaluate a mole for asymmetry, position the side of a ruler in the middle of the mole and draw a line across the middle section. If the two halves are identical, the mole is symmetrical. The mole is asymmetrical if the two halves differ in shape and/or size. Other signs of atypical moles include notched or scalloped edges (border irregularity), a multi-colored mosaic appearance, and large sizes (6 mm or larger).
Atypical moles are dangerous since they can potentially transition into a serious skin cancer called melanoma. People with more than 10 atypical moles are 12 times more susceptible to skin cancer. The risk is increased further by a family history of skin cancer, photosensitivity, frequent sunburns, and/or freckles. For this reason, it's ideal for monitoring all moles and taking note of any changes, especially those that are present with the aforementioned warning signs, which may also indicate cancer. Ideally, get your moles checked by a dermatologist periodically, or check with a dermatologist immediately when changes are observed.
