Moles vs Warts
Skin conditions that are present at birth are forgiving such as birthmarks and moles. But this should not be taken for granted as these might be cancerous. Some skin conditions are not inborn and warrant further assessment such as warts as this can spread to other parts of the body and can spread to other people.
So we have moles and warts. What could be the differences?
Our skin’s color is determined by what you call melanocytes. Melanocytes give the skin color of an individual. The more melanocytes you have, the darker your skin color and vice versa. People who are said to have more melanocytes are at a decreased rate of having cancer unlike the Caucasians who have less melanocytes. Melanocytes are responsible for the growth of the moles on the skin’s surface. On the other hand, HPV or human papillomavirus, is the causative agent for warts.
A lot of the population have moles in different parts of the body. Some have more than a few. Moles usually show and erupt during a child’s growing years and up to adolescent age. One can also have it at a latter age as well. Moles can start as minute dots and can expand to more than a centimeter in diameter. The appearance also differs plus the texture of these moles. The color is usually dark like black or brown. Some are yellow, flesh tone, or reddish in shade.
Warts, on the other hand, come in different forms. Warts also commonly appear on the surface of the hands while some appear on the soles of the feet called plantar warts. For the surface of the face and forehead, there are what you call flat warts which usually appear on young children. There are also genital warts which is caused primarily by HPV. Warts are non-oval in appearance. These are raised skin-like protrusions which are in light to dark in color.
So for the complications of moles, moles are said to be highly correlated with skin cancer such as those inborn moles which are large and irregular in shape. Another fact is that one is predisposed to skin cancer if one has 50-100 moles on the body according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Signs of skin cancer include enlargement, darkening, pain, bleeding, and inflammation of the mole.
For the complications of warts, unless being rubbed or being scratched, discomfort may occur. For genital warts, this may spread and cause cancer of the cervix or vulva in the near future. Pap smears are being advised for women who have genital warts.
The treatment of moles is through certain cream medications such as one that is invented by a Filipino scientist. Regarding warts, there are wart removers, creams, or through the use of the laser.
Summary:
1.Moles are caused by melanocyte formation on the skin while warts are caused by HPV.
2.Moles are usually circular and flat in appearance while warts are irregular in size and are raised on the skin.
3.Complications of moles include skin cancer while warts may cause cancer of the cervix or vulva.