Moles and warts are two types of very common skin growths and formations. Both are usually asymptomatic, but they can indicate a problem or harmful changes in the skin and therefore they must be monitored.
In colloquial language, a mole is usually called what doctors call melanocytic nevus, a type of benign tumor that forms by growth and accumulation of melanocytes. Warts, meanwhile, are skin lesions caused by the human papilloma virus.
They are also popularly called warts. skin tagsanother type of benign tumor such as the mole or melanocytic nevus, but which has nothing to do in its etiology with the true warts produced by the papilloma virus.
Moles
Moles are considered a type of benign tumor called melanocytic nevus. It is the most frequent benign tumor in Caucasian people, while in people with a dark phototype it is relatively rare.
They are formed by growth and accumulation of nevus cells with high melanin content. It is believed that these cells are formed from melanocytes, although this is not known exactly.
The size, shape and color can be highly variable. Typical moles are small spots on the skin that are brown, black or red but with a homogeneous color, flat or slightly raised, smooth surface, defined edges, symmetrical and with a size that can reach 2 or 3 cm. A mole with a diameter greater than 6 mm is already considered a large mole.
The vast majority of people have moles, even a few. Moles usually appear during childhood and adolescence, but they can also be present from birth or develop during adulthood.
The cutaneous melanoma it is also a melanocytic tumor, like the mole, but unlike this, melanoma is malignant and therefore a type of cancer. Moles are always asymptomatic and the presence of any symptoms (itching, pain, swelling, etc.) should be consulted with a doctor.
Only those moles subjected to continuous rubbing, very exposed to solar radiation, very large, with irregular edges, that hurt, bleed and other symptoms that can increase the risk of developing into melanomas are treated for medical reasons.
Warts and skin tag
Warts, from a medical point of view, is a skin lesion caused by human papillomavirusbut colloquially it is much more common to call what doctors call a wart skin tag or fibroma.
Warts usually appear as bumps on the skin with a rough texture. They can be light or dark brown, even black. They are more common in hands (common wart), soles of the feet (crow's eyes or plantar warts), legs and genitalia (including the inside of the vagina, urethra and anus). They can also appear on the forehead and face, especially in children.
Warts, being caused by the papilloma virus, they are contagiousunlike moles and skin tags that are not contagious in any case.
The skin tag, for its part, is considered a benign tumor, just like the nevus or mole, but unlike the mole, the skin tag grows as a protuberance attached to the skin by a fleshy stem called peduncle.
Skin tags can be rough or smooth and are usually the same color as the surrounding skin. It usually comes out in areas where the skin makes folds and it is believed that they are due to continuous rubbing.
Some studies have also found the presence of human papillomavirus (types 6 and 11) in skin tags, but its pathogenesis is not well understood. It is more common in people with overweight, diabetics, pregnant women, acromegaly and rare syndromes such as Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome or polycystic ovary syndrome.
Skin tags do not usually require medical attention or produce symptoms, unless they appear in areas where they are subjected to constant pulling and rubbing. The wart does not usually cause symptoms either, except for plantar warts, which are painful.
Papilloma warts on certain parts of the genitalia, such as the vulva and cervix, are associated with an increased risk of vulvar and cervical cancer.
Warts on the genitals and face should always be consulted with the doctor, while in other parts of the body they can be removed with minor surgery and even topical OTC medications.
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