Moles

Most people have a few, maybe even dozens of, benign (noncancerous) moles on their bodies. Kids are no different. Sometimes they are born with them, and sometimes they just appear. Most worrisome moles become concerning in the later years of life after a lifetime of sun exposure.  

When checking moles in the clinic, pediatricians go by the ABCDE’s of moles:

We look for Asymmetry in the shape of the mole. The more asymmetrical, the more we need to watch it.

We check the Borders of the moles. Normal moles are round or oval, they usually don’t have ragged or notched borders.

We look at the Color of the mole. A normal mole should be pretty much evenly colored.  

We measure the Diameter of the mole. If it is larger than 6 mm (1/4 inch) across, it is worth noting and monitoring.

And over time, we note how the mole is Evolving. If it is changing in shape, size, or color between checks, we should do a little more investigating.  

Having said that, moles on the hands and scalps are usually given more leeway and allowed to look more abnormal before we start having the dermatologist (skin doctor) weigh in. Other things in kids’ moles we look for are that the mole should not scab over, bleed, or really be itchy. If those things are occurring, we will often get a biopsy by the dermatologist.  

If the mole has hair growing out of it, we often take closer looks at these guys as well. More often than not, kids with moles that have hair growing out of them don’t want these moles around for cosmetic reasons. So during the course of a biopsy to evaluate the mole, the dermatologist will often just take the whole mole out for a good thorough evaluation and a bit of cosmetic surgery at the same time.