naevus

Mole, or patch of discoloration on the skin which has been present from birth. There are many different types of naevi, including those composed of a cluster of small blood vessels, such as the ‘strawberry mark’ (which usually disappears early in life) and the ‘port-wine stain’.

A naevus of moderate size is harmless, and such marks can usually be disguised cosmetically unless they are extremely disfiguring, when they can sometimes be removed by cutting out, burning with an electric needle, freezing with carbon dioxide snow, or by argon laser treatment. In rare cases a mole may be a precursor of a malignant melanoma. Any changes in a mole, such as enlargement, itching, soreness, or bleeding, should be reported to a doctor.