Moles are small, coloured spots on the skin. Most people have them and they’re usually nothing to worry about unless they change size, shape or colour.

Atypical moles are generally larger than normal moles (greater than 5 mm in diameter), and have irregular borders and some asymmetry meaning that they are often oval rather than round.

• 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