Many people have heard the song "I always remember where the mole on your palm is"; there is also a folk saying: a mole on the palm means mountains of gold and silver, a mole on the sole means stepping up to heaven in one stride; in daily life, it is not uncommon to see people with moles on their palms. However, in reality, moles growing in different locations not only do not signify that you will become wealthy or have a good marriage, but if they grow in unfavorable spots, they might actually be a dangerous sign.

As a common benign skin tumor, moles generally do not exceed 6mm in size. The appearance of a mole is often caused by the accumulation and increase of melanocytes in the skin or the granules secreted by melanocytes. There are many types of moles, among which the most common is the localized nevus. Depending on its distribution within the skin, localized nevi are classified into the following three types:

Intradermal nevus (rarely becomes malignant): Grows stably in the dermis and is very common;

Junctional nevus (potential for malignant transformation): Located between the epidermis and dermis, feels relatively flat;

Compound nevus (potential for malignant transformation): A combination of the above two types; avoid frequent touching, rubbing, or pinching.

Additionally, there are other types of nevi, such as giant congenital melanocytic nevi caused by congenital melanin, melasma on the cheeks and forehead, freckles, and halo nevi.

Moles on the body generally occur due to congenital heredity or developmental defects. However, some people develop an increasing number of moles, which may be related to acquired factors. Clinically, about 60% of malignant melanomas originate from the malignant transformation of moles. For Asians, melanoma commonly appears in acral areas, so we need to pay special attention to moles on our palms, soles, and nails. Although the malignant transformation rate of pigmented nevi is not high, melanoma has both high late-stage mortality and high early-stage cure rates, making early identification crucial.

Benign moles: Usually present at birth, with neat borders, no mixed colors, and showing no significant changes for over 10 years.

Malignant moles: These are moles that are prone to cancerous changes and typically exhibit the following five characteristics: Asymmetry - often irregular in shape, appearing asymmetrical when divided in half; Irregular borders - edges may be uneven or jagged; Color variation - appearing as dirty black, but may also be brown, dark brown, blue, pink, etc., with special caution needed for blue coloration; Large diameter - moles larger than 5-6mm in diameter, or those that show significant growth exceeding 1cm should preferably be removed; Elevation - some early melanomas may show slight elevation above the skin surface.

Additionally, if you notice a mole rapidly enlarging in size within a short period, developing ulceration, causing noticeable pain, or growing satellite moles (small scattered moles around the main lesion), these may indicate malignant changes. If you have difficulty evaluating your own moles or find that your moles match any of these warning signs, seek immediate medical attention for professional diagnosis and treatment.