What to do if a mole is inflamed, red or painful

mole, pixabay.com There are no people in the world who do not have at least one mole on their body.

The only thing is that statistics say that the Negroid population has much fewer moles than white people. A mole is a pigmented formation. It can be congenital or acquired. They differ from each other in color and size. Over time, the formation may become larger, more convex, or, conversely, disappear. This often happens in children who are born with birthmarks - the children grow up, and the mark disappears.

Some have more moles, some have fewer, but the most dangerous and unpleasant thing is injury. Traumatizing the spot can cause severe bleeding. Moreover, constant trauma to the mole may lead to the development of various diseases. Most often they are dangerous to human life. This statement is controversial. Many scientists and doctors are still arguing about how much birthmarks can affect the body.

To understand this topic in more detail, we have compiled a series of questions.

A mole is puffed up, what does this mean?
There is a lump under the mole, what symptoms and diseases may occur?
Bad moles - what are they?
What to do if a mole bursts?
The mole is swollen and itchy, what does this symptom indicate?

If you notice the symptoms from our series of questions, do not panic. Use the information provided in this article and be sure to consult a doctor!

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Structure of a mole

To understand the processes that occur when a mole becomes inflamed, you need to delve a little deeper into the structure of the skin. Why does hair grow from a mole? As we have already found out in this article, hair can grow from a mole (i.e., a pigmented nevus). This is due to the fact that, as a rule, the mole itself is located slightly above the level at which the hair follicles lie. It turns out that it is not the hair that grows on the mole, but rather the hair that grows through it and appears on the surface. She just happened to be in their way.

Why does the mole bleed/hurt/swell/swell?

There are many reasons for bleeding from moles. Because every tear in a birthmark is a consequence of a domestic injury. If you are a person who has a fair amount of raised growths, you should be careful. In everyday life, the reasons may lie in simple actions, for example:

The woman's underwear caught or pressed tightly against the mole.
Rubbing due to the compressed belt, collar on your skin.
Children love to explore themselves. When a baby sees a mole, he or she may start picking at it. The result is bleeding and a broken spot.
They were injured by a razor, a knife, scissors, a machine.
Injury while working with construction materials.

Has the reason been found out? A mole, like our skin, when it is traumatized will spew blood, hurt, pinch and swell. Remember when you fell on your knee - you started bleeding and the clogged area hurt. Moles react the same way.

If the injury is in the nature of mechanical damage, there is nothing to be afraid of. It will be enough to treat the wound and seal it with a band-aid. This way, a crust can form and return the mole to its place. But do not delay seeing a doctor if it does not heal for a long time and hurts for a long time. These may be symptoms of serious illnesses.

Why does a mole turn red, enlarge and become painful?

The fact is that inflammation can begin in the area of hair follicles and sebaceous glands. As a rule, the sebaceous gland becomes inflamed, the excretory duct of which opens into the hair follicle.

In medicine, inflammation of the sebaceous gland and hair follicle is called a furuncle, popularly called a “ pimple.”

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This happens for a variety of reasons, from pollution and microtrauma of the skin to metabolic disorders. As you can see in the picture below, all inflammation phenomena appear in the area of the mole:

Good and bad moles

Many people worry about having a lot of moles on their body. They wonder how dangerous it could be and what it even means. But experts say that a large number of moles cannot be described as “good” or “bad.” Also, the number of moles can be inherited. And people who like to lie in the sun expose their skin to the formation of age spots or moles. Most moles on our body are acquired.

Oncologists stipulate that the appearance or damage of a flat mole is not the worst thing. It is not necessary to contact specialists right away. Treat a damaged mole, rejoice at a new one. But if a large convex mole bleeds, hurts or is damaged, run to the doctor. It is more acute inflammatory in nature. And it is not the most pleasant formation on your body. Which most people get rid of.

Also, after injury to a birthmark, you should limit yourself from exposure to ultraviolet radiation. It has a very negative effect on our skin, and even more so on the injured area.

It is worth paying attention to the color of the mole; the darker it is, the greater the danger. If you have a flat mole, it should always remain that way. As soon as a lumpiness or increase in size appears on it, a doctor is needed.

What to do if your mole becomes inflamed and red?

The first thing to do is to stop further independently studying the Internet on this topic. The fact is that on the Internet you can almost always find confirmation of your worst suspicions about your health. This is not what we need now.

In addition, it must be remembered that this symptom alone is extremely rarely a sign of melanoma. In the vast majority of cases, there should be other symptoms - uneven (geographic, scalloped) edge, asymmetrical shape, bleeding, etc.

Then just follow these recommendations:

Wet a regular gauze pad (not sterile) with a solution in the ratio of 1 part chlorhexidine, 1 part dimexide, 2 parts water
Apply the resulting compress to the area of the inflamed mole for 30 minutes, 3 times a day, for 5 days.

In most cases, redness, pain, and enlargement of the mole disappear under the influence of these compresses within 5 days.

If the inflammation does not subside within 5 days, you should urgently see an oncologist. In this situation, the likelihood that these changes were caused by transformation into melanoma is very high.

The mole is swollen and hurts, what to do and what are the reasons?

Mechanical injuries have been dealt with. But what to do if a mole just gets sick? The answer is obvious - go to a specialized doctor. This could be a dermatologist or oncologist. Before going to a specialist, you can observe the following symptoms:

Modification of a mole. It may swell and become softer or harder than before. The shape, color and size of the spot may change. Acquire a bulge or bump on your surface.
The color will become brighter and uneven. In other words, your mole will grow beyond its boundaries.
Itching and burning will appear. Such a symptom can be either a consequence of healing or the development of any disease.
Another new growth has appeared near the mole, which does not go away for a long time. The circle took on a red and inflamed appearance.
Moles that change their appearance within a month also indicate that a person has problems.
A rash or new moles in large numbers have formed around the mole.

Having identified such symptoms, having been examined by a doctor , he will prescribe the necessary tests. He will tell you what the nature of the damage is and what needs to be done. Prescribe treatment and carry out diagnostics based on tests and the appearance of the wound.

Briefly about the main thing:

If your mole becomes inflamed, red, or painful without any external influence, do not panic. Apply compresses according to the above scheme and inflammation should subside within 3-5 days. If this does not happen, see an oncologist immediately.

If you don’t have the mental strength to wait 5 days, you can get my consultation online right now. There is also the opportunity to make an in-person appointment with me at the clinic in St. Petersburg (Ushinsky 2k.1, Globus Medical Center).

Is swelling dangerous?

Neoplasms arise due to heredity, prolonged exposure to the sun (excessive formation of melanocytes). To determine whether the swelling of a nevus is dangerous, a diagnosis is carried out:

examination using a dermatoscope;
if there is no pain or bleeding, tissue is taken tangentially;
trephine biopsy, deep skin sampling.

The doctor draws up a photo map of nevi if the patient is not bothered by painful sensations, but the birthmark changes shape, color, and swells.

Patients at risk:

with light skin color, red hair;
with numerous nevi;
with birthmarks more than 5 mm in diameter;
persons with altered hormonal levels (pregnant women, adolescents, women during menopause);
in which nevi tend to disappear and reappear.

Main reasons

Has the nevus turned into a bubble with liquid contents? This may be caused by:

chemical or thermal burn due to contact with acids, alkalis, open fire or boiling water, prolonged exposure to direct sunlight in hot weather;
damage to the surface of the skin - people sometimes accidentally cut off moles with a razor, rip them off with a comb or chain, or wash them off on clothes;
an allergic reaction to cosmetics, household chemicals, synthetic fabrics and even food - in this case, several watery blisters usually appear at once.

If a mole suddenly becomes watery and grows rapidly, this may also indicate malignancy of its cells. Any nevus initially consists of benign cells, but over time and under the influence of a number of unfavorable factors it can transform into a malignant tumor. Associated symptoms of such degeneration are:

change in color - benign nevi have a uniform color over the entire area, malignant nevi have inclusions of a different shade, darker or lighter areas;
the appearance of discharge - pus, blood, exudate;
loss of hairs growing in the mole;
the appearance of wounds, inflamed areas, cracks on the surface of the neoplasm or near it.

Laser mole removal how to care

After laser mole removal, the following is recommended:

Immediately after removal, slight swelling and redness may be observed around the wound, which goes away within 1-3 days.

Take care of the crust that has formed after removal so that it does not fall off or tear off prematurely. It protects the wound from infection. Wear clothing that protects this area and do not scratch it.

If symptoms such as redness of the skin around the crust, swelling, pain, sanguineous or purulent discharge appear, immediately contact the clinic where the mole was removed with a laser .

While the crust protects the wound, there is no need to treat it with anything additional. After the scab has separated, to accelerate epithelization, you can apply a cream with dexpanthenol, solcoseryl, etc.

Follow the restrictions: solarium and insolation for up to 2 months; do not go to the bathhouse, sauna, or bath for 14 days; Avoid alcohol intake for the first 3 days; During the period until the scab falls off, cosmetics are not applied to this area.

Associated symptoms and mechanism of action

Contact your doctor if you have the following symptoms:

a swollen mole with a change in color (blackened, reddened), shape (ball), size;
the surface of the neoplasm has become denser, lumpy, and uneven;
itching, burning;
formation of small bubbles;
asymmetrical arrangement;
discharge of blood, other fluid (pus), inflammation;
a crust has formed;
a blister appears next to the nevus;
hanging birthmark;
change in skin color around the nevus.

Doctors recommend removing a birthmark if it is in an awkward location or if it rubs against clothing (back, armpits, groin area).

Proper care is required after removal:

1-7 days after removal, a dark crust forms, which cannot be removed so as not to introduce infection into the wound. After a week, the dark crust will come off and a pink crust will form. It is not recommended to lubricate damaged skin with decorative cosmetics or drink alcohol (vasodilatation can cause bleeding). It is necessary to treat the skin with antiseptic solutions (carbon peroxide, potassium permanganate).
Avoid staying in water for a long time; the nevus becomes wet and swells. Wetness provokes rejection of the mole tissue.
Avoid sudden hypothermia or overheating.
After removing the crusts, no special care is required.
During healing, prolonged exposure to the sun, visiting solariums, baths, steam rooms, saunas, and public places are not recommended.
Avoid mechanical damage (injury, burns).
As prescribed by the doctor, apply creams and anesthetics to the damaged area.

If, after removal, redness, swelling appears and does not go away, the damaged area itches, or pain occurs when pressed, you should contact your doctor again.

Causes of mole swelling

Nevi located in inconvenient places (armpits, neck, area between the shoulder blades, forearm, spinal area, back of the hands, face) swell and inflate.

Reasons for changes in birthmarks:

Mechanical impact (trauma). Occurs when shaving, squeezing by tight clothing (bra fasteners), or accidentally scratching with nails (after a bath, steam room).
An attempt to remove hair from a tumor.
Hormonal imbalance in the body (during pregnancy, menopause).
If an inflamed mole is swollen and hurts, it may degenerate from a benign neoplasm to a malignant one.
Ultraviolet radiation after prolonged exposure to the sun.
The result of self-removal of a nevus or removal of a neoplasm in a cosmetology, not a medical institution.

Possible swelling due to internal pathologies.

A scar appeared after mole removal

When excision with a scalpel, modern, atraumatic absorbable suture materials are used to eliminate a wound defect and, often, the patient cares for the wound independently.
In this case, the scars remain as aesthetically pleasing and delicate as possible, but nevertheless they are still scars. After removing a mole with a laser or electrocoagulator, the marks are usually invisible on the body (when nevi up to 5 mm are removed), or are visible, but are perceived not as scars and scars, but as minor changes in the skin (there are no associations with surgical procedures).

The appearance of a scar after mole removal depends on the properties of the patient’s skin, the size of the lesion being removed, its location, the duration of healing, and the characteristics of caring for the wound during healing.

The most unpleasant moment is the appearance of a keloid scar at the site of the removed nevus - this is a frequent reason for repeated visits and many questions. A keloid scar after removal of a mole occurs due to the predisposition of the patient’s skin, in certain areas of the body (sternum area, for example), when complications arise in the form of suppuration of the wound, or during prolonged healing due to improper care of the wound.

A keloid scar can be disturbing not only due to its sloppy appearance, but also due to pain or severe itching.

Modern technologies make it possible to correct a keloid scar. For example, we use injection correction in combination with surface laser resurfacing. If treated in a timely manner, one procedure is sufficient.

First aid for damage to a vascular formation

The cause of damage to angiomas on the face or body is usually a person’s carelessness during hygiene procedures and changing clothes. Any mole can be accidentally torn off or cut when shaving, using a washcloth, or rubbed by the seams of clothing, a chain or other accessory.

If a red mole bursts or comes off, the first thing you need to do is stop the bleeding. There are many blood vessels in this area, so the wound may bleed heavily and for a long time. To prevent the development of complications:

treat the damaged area with any alcohol-free antiseptic,
cover with a sterile plaster or bandage.

Before contacting a specialist, you should not apply any ointments or gels to the wound.