Question: I have moles and skin tags. What can be done about them?

Mimi: Moles are beauty marks. Love yourself and the skin you're in.

Moles are growths on the skin. They happen when cells in the skin, called melanocytes, grow in a cluster instead of being spread throughout the skin. Melanocytes make the pigment that gives skin its natural color. Moles are very common. Most people have between 10 and 40 moles. A person may develop new moles from time to time. Moles are usually pink, tan or brown. They can be flat or raised. They are usually round or oval and no larger than a pencil eraser. Moles might darken after exposure to the sun, during the teen years, and during pregnancy.

About one out of every 10 people has at least one unusual (or atypical) mole that looks different from an ordinary mole. The medical term for these unusual moles is dysplastic nevi. They may be more likely than ordinary moles to develop into melanoma, a type of skin cancer. Because of this, you should have a health care professional check your moles if they look unusual, grow larger, change in color or outline, or in any other way.

Melanoma is the most common cancer in women ages 25 to 29. Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. Often the first sign of melanoma is a change in the size, shape, color or feel of a mole. Most melanomas have a black or black-blue area. Melanoma may also appear as a new mole. It may be black, abnormal or "ugly looking."

Melanoma can be cured if it is diagnosed and treated early. If melanoma is not removed in its early stages, cancer cells may grow downward from the skin surface and invade healthy tissue. If it spreads to other parts of the body, it can be difficult to control.

What should I look for when examining my moles?

Most moles are benign. The only moles that are of medical concern are those that look different than other existing moles or those that first appear after age 20. If you notice changes in a mole's color, height, size, or shape, you should have a dermatologist (skin doctor) evaluate it. You also should have moles checked if they bleed, ooze, itch, appear scaly, or become tender or painful.

Examine your skin with a mirror or ask someone to help you. Pay special attention to areas of your skin that are often exposed to the sun, such as the hands, arms, chest, neck, face, and ears.

If your moles do not change over time, there is little reason for concern. If you see any signs of change in an existing mole, if you have a new mole, or if you want a mole to be removed for cosmetic reasons, talk to your dermatologist.

The following ABCDEs are important signs of moles that could be cancerous. If a mole displays any of the signs listed below, have it checked immediately by a dermatologist:

A symmetry - One half of the mole does not match the other half.

B order - The border or edges of the mole are ragged, blurred, or irregular.

C olor - The color of the mole is not the same throughout or has shades of tan, brown, black, blue, white, or red.

D iameter - The diameter of a mole is larger than the eraser of a pencil.

E levation - A mole appears elevated, or raised from the skin.

How are moles treated? Moles can be removed by freezing with liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide. The physician's assistant can do that quickly. Another method is to burn off the mole with a superfracatator electric needle. This is trickier and should be done by a dermatologist. This is very good for tiny moles. Some moles need to be removed surgically

If a dermatologist believes the mole needs to be evaluated further or removed entirely, he or she will first take a biopsy (small tissue sample of the mole) to examine thin sections of the tissue under a microscope. This is a simple procedure. (If the dermatologist thinks the mole might be cancerous, cutting through the mole will not cause the cancer to spread.)

If the mole is found to be cancerous, the dermatologist will remove the entire mole by cutting out the entire mole and a rim of normal skin around it, and stitching the wound closed.

If any mole seems suspicious, have it checked. If a mole is constantly being irritated by a waistband or bra strap, it should probably be removed.

What is a skin tag?

A skin tag is a small flap of tissue that hangs off the skin by a connecting stalk. Skin tags are benign and are not dangerous. They are usually found on the neck, chest, back, armpits, under the breasts, or in the groin area. Skin tags appear most often in women, especially with weight gain, and in elderly people.

Skin tags usually don't cause any pain. However, they can become irritated if anything such as clothing or jewelry rubs on them.

How are skin tags treated?

Your dermatologist can remove a skin tag by cutting it off with a scalpel or scissors, with cryotherapy (freezing it off), or with electrosurgery (burning with an electric current).

With moles, "When in doubt, check it out."

Mimi Barre is the owner of International Day Spa on Cajon Street in Redlands. Send skin care questions to her at MimiB@INTLdayspa.com. She and her estheticians are available for personal consultations, (909) 793-9080. Past columns of "Ask Mimi" are on the Web at www.INTERNATIONALdayspa.com


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