Written By: Muskan Gupta | Published : August 19, 2025 8:02 AM IST
Moles are ordinary types of skin pigment that the majority of the population acquire in childhood and teenage years. They are non-dangerous and stable in most instances and stay the same over years. Nevertheless, not all moles can be transformed into melanoma since it is the most harmful type of skin cancer. Early signs of a cancerous mole may be detected, and with the help of this small step, you can save yourself a lifetime and the complications of cancer. Here are five early warning signs that a mole might be turning cancerous, as well as other symptoms and risk factors to watch out for.
A normal mole is normally oval-shaped or round-shaped with an equal balance. Provided you could sketch through the centre, the two halves would appear comparable. However, a cancerous mole tends to get asymmetrical. One side can look larger or distorted or unequal to the other. This asymmetry is also a common sign that doctors look out for first when examining the identification of any melanoma.
Benign moles tend to contain smooth, well-defined edges. Conversely, cancerous change developing in a mole can take up ragged, indistinct or scalloped edges. The border within this outline might seem to bleed into other skin, creating a hard-to-define border where the mole stops and the healthy skin begins.
A majority of the benign moles appear in one single shade of brown. The mole may display an abnormal colour or darker tones when the melanoma starts growing, including red, white, blue, black, and even pink. Such blotching of colour or a quickening of colour of the mole is an elementary sign of skin cancer.
Stable moles do not tend to grow in size as one grows old. A mole, which begins to increase beyond 6 millimetres (approximately the size of a pencil eraser), is to be considered by a dermatologist. Although there are benign large moles, a significant growth in a short span of time should be monitored.
It is also malignancy when there is any change in the size, shape, surface or feel over a period. A raised mole with a scaly or crusty area or one that itches, bleeds or oozes liquid could be a cancerous mole. Pain and tenderness are warning signs that cannot be overlooked.
Other signs, besides the so-called ABCDE (Asymmetry, Border, Colour, Diameter, Evolving) that can indicate a cancerous mole, include:
There are risks that lead to an increased risk of developing cancerous moles:
People with fair skin, many moles, a family history of melanoma, or high sun exposure.
A mole that changes in size, shape, or colour, or starts bleeding/itching, may be cancerous.
