What Benign Moles Look Like

Benign moles have the potential to develop into a type of skin cancer called melanoma.

Moles are benign tumors formed from melanocytes (cells in the skin that make the pigment melanin). Moles come in various shapes, sizes, and colors. For example, there are pink moles, red moles, flat moles, raised moles, light moles, speckled moles, mature moles, and more. 

Characteristics of Benign Moles

A mole is made up of skin cells called melanocytes that produce the skin-darkening pigment melanin. When melanocytes grow in groups, they form a mole appearing as a small, dark mark, or sometimes a flesh-colored small bump. They can appear in a range of colors, shapes, and sizes.

Skin moles fall under three types: common nevus, spitz nevus, and atypical (dysplastic) nevus. They may be present at birth (congenital) or develop later (acquired).

Common moles have the following characteristics:

• Smaller than the width of a pencil eraser
• Round or oval
• Smooth surface
• Distinct edges
• Even colors of pink, tan, or brown
  

Spitz nevi are benign moles that resemble melanoma. These moles grow very quickly and are most often found in younger people—70% are found in people under age 20. These moles can sometimes bleed or itch, although this is not common.

Spitz nevi usually have a uniform pink, red, tan, blue, or black color. They are most common on the face, neck, and legs.

Examples of Benign Moles

Benign moles do not need treatment, however, people sometimes elect to have them removed for aesthetic reasons or due to concerns about potential cancer development. Mole removal is typically a simple procedure performed by a dermatologist or, in some cases, a plastic surgeon with minimal or no scarring. 

Flat Mole

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The moles in this picture are completely benign. One of the features of benign moles is their uniform color throughout, but these moles have a speckled pattern.

Flat moles like this, especially if they have recently developed, can have color variations throughout. These moles have all the other features of benign moles:

• They are symmetric (you can draw a line through the middle and they are essentially the same on both sides).
• They have regular, rounded borders.
• Each mole is less than 6 millimeters in diameter.

The other clue that the mole color is not concerning is that this person has several other moles that look just like this.

Light Mole

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This mole is slightly raised and you can see that it's the same color as the surrounding skin. Depending on where it is located, a mole that becomes raised can get cut when shaving or interfere with clothing or jewelry. Most insurance companies will pay to have moles removed for these reasons, and also if the moles itch, hurt, or have any suspicious features.

Mature Mole

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This is a mature mole because the skin surrounding it has wrinkles throughout. The mole itself has been present for many years. This mole has all the features of benign moles.

If a mole forms over a hair follicle, over time the hair may grow through the mole and poke out the other side. This is very common, and removing the hair by plucking or shaving will not cause the mole to become cancerous.

Speckled Mole

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This is another example of a​ benign mole that doesn't meet the general color rule. As noted, one of the typical features of benign moles is that they have a consistent color throughout. This mole, however, is flesh-colored on the perimeter and brown in the center.

It's benign because it has been there for years and hasn't changed, and all of this person's other moles have the same color variation. This is a good example of why you should have your skin checked regularly by a healthcare provider and why you should do your own skin self-exams. Knowing what your moles typically look like helps you notice any changes and helps you figure out when you should see your healthcare provider.

Raised Mole

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This is a great example of a benign mole. Even though it's raised, it has a very consistent color throughout and well-defined border. Depending on its location on the body, though, this kind of raised mole can cause problems if it gets caught on clothing or jewelry, or gets nicked when shaving. These would be reasons that an insurance company would typically pay to have this mole removed.

Light, Raised Mole

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Here is another example of a raised mole that could easily get caught on clothing or jewelry. Sometimes a mole can be difficult to distinguish from a seborrheic keratosis, also known as a skin barnacle. Those rarely become cancerous, but if they do, they are associated with basal cell carcinomas.

Red, Raised Mole

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Since moles stick out from the body, they can get irritated or caught on clothing and jewelry. Sometimes they itch and get irritated with vigorous scratching. This will cause changes in the mole's appearance.

As you can see in this picture, a portion of this mole looks like it's been rubbing against something, causing irritation. This red, raised mole should heal in the same amount of time that it takes for abrasions on other parts of the skin to heal.

Pink, Raised Mole

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If you compare this pink mole to the previous two moles, you can see that this mole is pretty typical. Just because a lesion is raised doesn't mean that it's skin cancer. Note the difference in the skin surrounding this pink mole, compared with the surrounding skin in the previous pictures, and observe all the freckles. This person has fair skin that tends to burn instead of tan, which is a risk factor for melanoma.

Signs of Cancer

If a mole changes size, shape, or color, starts to bleed, or changes in texture (e.g., new flaking or scaliness) see a healthcare provider. Any change warrants concern.

Your healthcare provider or dermatologist will want to conduct tests to ensure that you don't have melanoma.

What Does an Atypical Mole Look Like?

Atypical moles (dysplastic nevi) look different from common moles in that they tend to be larger, flat, and have a mixture of several different colors (ranging from pink to brown to black). Atypical moles are irregularly shaped and can be scaly or have a slightly pebbled surface.

The acronym ABCDE is a guide used for identifying melanoma.

• A = Asymmetry: One half of the mole or spot is not like the other half.
• B = Border: The spot or mole has an irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined border.
• C = Color: The spot has varying colors from one area to the next, such as shades of tan, brown, or black, or areas of white, red, or blue.
• D = Diameter: While melanomas are usually greater than 6 millimeters, or about the size of a pencil eraser, when diagnosed, they can be smaller.
• E = Evolving: The spot or mole changes over time, such as a mole that grows in size or changes color or shape.

The Importance of Getting Regular Skin Exams

Most adults have between 10 and 40 of these types of moles, which usually appear in areas of sun exposure.

Having a higher number warrants an annual check-up to examine parts of the body you cannot easily see, like your back. The Skin Cancer Foundation is among the organizations that endorse once-yearly skin exams.

Prepare for a skin examination by:

• Performing a self-exam and noting any new, changing, or unusual spots to discuss with your dermatologist.
• Wearing your hair loose to allow for a scalp exam. 
• Removing any makeup before your examination.

Ask about anything that's concerning you, if you are unfamiliar with a term your healthcare provider uses, and for pointers on how to perform a skin self-exam.

Summary

Moles come in various shapes, sizes, and colors. Pictures and descriptions of normal, noncancerous moles can help identify when to see a healthcare provider if a mole doesn't have the normal characteristics.

Atypical moles tend to be larger, flat, and have a mixture of several different colors. The ABCDE guide is a useful tool to identify abnormal moles. If any moles have these characteristics, see your healthcare provider right away so they can examine the mole and conduct tests if necessary to determine if it's melanoma. Regular exams are important for those with more moles.