Moles
Moles are collections of the coloured cells, the melanocytes, that are present in the skin. They are called melanocytic naevi (naevus means birthmark). They are induced by sunlight and increase in size and number during adolescence, fading somewhat in the elderly. They vary in shape size and colour, from small, brown and flat (called a junctional naevus) to large, dark and prominent (called compound). Most people have a number, but some have many more than others. On the whole they rarely turn malignant, but they may need to be removed for cosmetic reasons. Any that changes its nature - by itching, bleeding, changing shape or colour or developing a crust - may need to be reviewed with a view to removal. Skin should, of course, be protected from the rays of the sun.
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