problematic moles!?

Hi Doctor!
I'm a 22 year old college student and I have some questions about moles. I have a number of moles on bosy. When I was younger (about 14-15 years) I had two removed because the doctor was concerned about them. (One stuck out enough to constantly get caught on clothing and had white dots on it and then other was stranged shaped and changed color.) My question is, how can I tell if my moles are becoming problematic?? A couple of them have hairs grwing out of them(which I promply pluck out!) and can sometimes get sore. Are these signs that should cause concern??
Thanks for you time!
Anna

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Anna:

Good questions!  (Also, hard to answer in general terms, because there are so many different kinds of moles and spots people get.)

For a general overview of what moles are and what to look for, I suggest you look up the website of the Amercian Academy of Dermatology (www.aad.org  .)  Pictures don't tell the whole story, but at least you'll see what meaningful "asymmetry" looks like.

In general, moles that stick out are NOT the ones to worry about.  Hair growing out a mole usually means it's OK.  Irritation from plucking or rubing does not transform moles into skin cancer.  I find that people generally feel more comforatble about their moles when they learn these things.

Next time you have a physical checkup, ask your doctor to look at your moles and comment on them.

Best.

Dr. R