New Moles on a 6 Year Old

My 6 yr old also has developed some small dark raised moles in the past yr. I asked the Dr. and asked other Drs in the practice if I happen to see someone diff and they all tell me the same thing....normal but if one appears that is a funny color (not even) or has undefined edges or grows at a rapid rate then to be concerned. If the edges are smooth and it seems contained, its nothing but a mole. If you think its something or need piece of mind, see a derm.

My daughter is 6 and has also started getting new moles and freckles. And they also seem to show up overnight. I know it runs in my husband's side of the family. I think that at their age it is pretty common to start showing freckles and moles and such but of course if you feel uneasy always trust your gut and go to a specialist.Good luck!

Hi R.:

A raised mole on a child is not that big of an issue but more have shown up recently which is something a dermatologist(s) should look at it. You should seek a referral from your pediatrician/family doctor soon and perhaps a second opinion from another doctor.

There are different kinds of raised dark spots that humans acquire over their lifetime. Some can be scars from a sore or a cut that doesn't go away. Others can be cancer tissue: benign (no worries) or malignant (a few worries). However, to ease your conscious, seek a dermatologist.

For peace of mind, there's nothing like hearing it straight from the doctor, but my dermitologist has told me that you're allowed to get new moles all the way up until you're 35, sometimes even 40, without it being of any concern. Also, I don't think it's the number that scares them, but the type and size. You already know about the eraser size, those are fine. Anything larger and anything with uneven edges or uneven coloring could be of concern. Also, if a mole bleeds, that could be a problem as well.

What your son has doesn't sound like anything serious, but again, if it will ease your mind, check with your doc. I never saw a dermi until I was pregnant and developed PUPPPS. When I went to see her for that condition, I also had her check a few moles I have had for a long time but often wondered about. I figured they were ok, but it was great getting her expert opinion on them. Now my mind is completely at ease.

Hope this helps! : )

You should take pictures of his whole back so that you can reference them when you visit the doctor and exaplain how often they "spout" and how big they may be getting. There is a test that can be given that take "pictures" of your whole body and counts and details the moles, but it is very expensive and it's similar to an MRI. My doctor recommended the pictures and writing a log. I was told my son will be prone to melanoma, but that's because of his health history. Yours may NOT be, but there is NO HARM in keeping an eye out. Best of luck!

Hello R.!

I would definitely make an appointment with a dermatologist as soon as possible. Any time a new mole appears, anyone should be seen by a dermatologist, not a GP. Many people in my family have had skin cancer...and I'm not saying that is what it is at all. My step mom had a new mole that looked normal. She went to see the dermatologist and it was skin cancer. She is okay, like everyone else in my family who has had it, but that is why you should see a dermatologist: because something that looks normal, might not be. Also, my family gets an entire body check each year by the dermatologist...that is another thing to consider. Hope everything turns out alright!

You should take your son to a dermatologist. My son, from a young age, has had a quarter-size cafe ole' mark on his lower back. His pediatrician has always wanted me to be vigilant in watching this. By the time he was 3, he had a about 3 - 4 moles, as you describe. Every year, his pediatrician examines them. This year, his pediatrician asked me to seek the advise of a dermatologist. My son is 11 years old. We have always been conscientious (but not perfect!) about applying sunscreen. He probably has about a dozen of these, now.

Use the A-B-C-D method for determining if the moles are concerning:

A = Asymmetry - are borders evenly round or is there some asymmetry about it?

B = Border - Are border even, border not darker or lighter than the rest of the color; nothing jagged?

C = Color - is color even or are there any lighter or darker colors or spots inside color?

D = Diameter / Size - Check to see if it is larger than the size of an eraser, however, if ANY of the above are factors with the mole, size doesn't matter.

The month of May is National Skin Cancer awareness month. I decided that this was the year my fair-skinned, freckled, family needed to get evaluated. With my love for being in the sun all these years, I got off easy having a few actinic keratosis frozen off, right in the office. I was really shocked that the dermatologist IMMEDIATELY set up an appointment for surgery (actual surgery in a surgical center), for my son, to have three of his moles removed and biopsied. Everything went smoothly, my son was a trooper through the surgery and he is healthy. One mole was really small, however, it was dark, jagged 5mm long/2mm wide, thin line on his forearm. That one didn't even concern me. The other two were that size of a small pencil eraser.

It is good that you are also being vigilant about these moles. I have learned a lot over the last few months. Don't be fearful - just be proactive. This has created an awareness with my husband and children too, about the importance of protecting your skin. We will continue to have regular, yearly check-ups. If you need more information, feel free to personal message me.

Good luck.

If you do go see the doctor about it, see a dermatologist, not your regular pediatrician. I'm a firm believer in specialists.

my daughter was born with a slightly raised mole on her leg. it kinda changed a little over the 7 years of her life so i took her to a specialist. he told me that moles that you are born with should be removed at sometime during your life and that i should keep an eye on it. but things to look for are change in shape or color. if the mole is not symetrical or if it bleeds or looks like an open sore. i would make the appoinment with the doctor again just to put your mind at ease, but i think that as long as they don't have any of these signs you should be okay. good luck

Hi,
My son gets these too. Some of them come and go, others stay longer. I used to get these all the time when I was a kid, and my Mom used to call them beauty marks..
Like any moles, you should get it checked, but they say to worry about moles that are 1) not round, or asymetrical.
2) have very different color variations on the same mole, or 3) Continue to get larger in size..
I am guessing they are like my son's, and we have the doctor check every time we have checkup's. It can get worse with sun.. we always see more in the summer and we wear sunscreen ALL THE TIME. I did not read other responses, but I would check just to be safe:-) I would not worry. Moles are natural. Best of luck to you both! You are a great mom to be concerned!

I second the notion that you should never let him get sunburn. I was born with a large mole whose shape and size have remained constant over the years. I was never told to take any extra special precautions with my skin, so in my teen years I was pretty cavalier about it. I've had about 3 instances of blistering sunburn, which puts me at a much higher risk of developing skin cancer. It has also led to the development of dozens of moles on my back and shoulders. My doc told me NO MORE SUNBURNS and to keep an eye on the existing moles to make sure their shapes do not become irregular and that they do not grow in size.

If your concerned, call your doctor and ask if it something they would want to see him for. I would think that is a little unusual so they'd want to see it, but I'm not a doctor ;) I hope everything is okay!

Hi R. I've never had this problem with my children, but since more moles have occurred since you took him to the doctor, I would take him back for further evalucation. Just to be on the safe side.

You may want to google "atypical mole syndrome" or clark's nevus.

Good luck.

I would get him to a dermatologist right away. GPs sometimes miss things. Moles can change very quickly. My family and I get checked yearly. Even children can get melanoma. The best dermatologist in the area is Joy Jester. She is great with kids and adults. She will remove the moles in the office on your first visit. That has been really helpful with the kids. It is better to be safe than sorry. She has also been a great help with excema and cradle cap.

I would get it checked out.

Hi R., I looked it for you from webmd.com. It is nothing to worry about but it doesnt hurt to have a dermotologist take a look at it.

Moles are growths on the skin that are usually brown or black. Moles can appear anywhere on the skin, alone or in groups.

Most moles appear in early childhood and during the first 20 years of a person's life. Some moles may not appear until later in life. It is normal to have between 10-40 moles by adulthood.

As the years pass, moles usually change slowly, becoming raised and/or changing color. Often, hairs develop on the mole. Some moles may not change at all, while others may slowly disappear over time.

What Causes a Mole?
Moles occur when cells in the skin grow in a cluster instead of being spread throughout the skin. These cells are called melanocytes, and they make the pigment that gives skin its natural color. Moles may darken after exposure to the sun, during the teen years, and during pregnancy

I hope this helps put your mind at ease. Have a nice day.
H.

My two boys have several moles already and they are 3 and 1. I have lots of moles so I expect they will, too.

See a dermatologist if you want, but I think it's fine. Make sure he NEVER gets a sunburn, though.