What To Watch Out For If You Have A Beauty Mark
No one's skin is flawless despite what Instagram filters try to make us believe. Wrinkles come with age, freckles appear in the sun, and unfortunately, most of us have fallen victim to acne (or at least a pimple or two). Other noticeable spots on your skin could be a beauty mark. Officially this mark is made up of a cluster of cells that have formed together instead of evenly dispersed throughout the skin (via Editorialist). Unscientifically speaking, it is a mole with positive praise. But we prefer calling it a beauty mark.
This mole with positive connotations has likely been made more popular by famous faces like Cindy Crawford and Marilyn Monroe proudly sporting their own on camera. And we want you to feel proud to show yours off as well. But more importantly, we want you to know what to watch out for if you have a beauty mark of your own.
Beauty marks can develop into cancer over time
For the most part, beauty marks don't pose any threat to your health. But with an abundance of direct sun exposure for long periods of time, the cluster of cells that make up that darker spot on your skin can mutate into cancer. So make it a habit to be extra aware of your beauty mark (or marks) and get them professionally checked often (via the American Cancer Society).
So what should we look out for? Take notes of any change of the color or a change in the size of your beauty mark. Also pay extra attention to its borders to see if they have become uneven or scalloped (per Deutsche Welle). We're not trying to scare you, but according to statistics from the Skin Cancer Foundation, one in five Americans will develop skin cancer before they reach the age of 70. That is a high percentage, but it's not all bad news. As the Skin Care Foundation reports, if caught early, melanoma (a deadly form of skin cancer) has a 99% survival rate.
So keep proudly sporting your own marks of beauty! But we recommend applying that sunscreen religiously when the rays are strong. And keep a close eye for any changes to your skin.