Bound together by a common skin growth are those of us with moles. Are you someone with a mole? In some peeps, the topic of moles brings to mind a range of thoughts including health scares, curiosity, or beauty.

We’ve been conditioned to associate moles with skin cancer, so not everyone embraces them. While there are people who need to remove them for medical or cosmetic reasons, there are also some who have come to recognize them as beauty marks, and take pride in having a small spot near the lip or on the chin.

But there’s more than meets the eye with moles. More than melanoma or pretty faces. Just about everyone has them, and they live on different parts of the body. GeoBeats did some digging and is here to share some interesting tidbits on moles. Out of these ten factoids, the first one we learn is the proper name: nevus.

We drop a few points down below, but watch the video to hear more about nevi!

  1. Dark Moles Aren’t Always Bad

    The pigment in moles can change over time, being darker during youth and lightening in color as we age. Although changes in color could indicate the presence of melanoma, a mole that darkens may still be benign. However, it’s important to see a doctor about any abnormal changes.

  2. Sizes Vary

    man with moleGeoBeats

    Moles can be any size, any shape, and be found anywhere. Some can cover large portions of the body like man in this video. Others are relatively small or can show up internally on the spinal cord.

  3. Mark of Evil

    For a time, facial moles were thought to be a sign of witchy behavior or devil worship in medieval Europe. It’s one of the things that fed into witch hysteria during that time period. It’s also why you still see images of witches with huge warts or moles on their faces.

  4. Girls Have More

    Moles start appearing during childhood, but little girls have more than boys and are twice as likely to have a mole that’s a birthmark. In many cases, moles make their mark around puberty.

  5. Dogs Have Them Too

    If you’ve ever seen a weird growth on your dog’s chin, you’re looking at a mole! They’re totally normal, and have nerves in them that make it a sensitive area. Hairs growing out of that mole are whiskers and can become painful if removed.

Moles have played roles in different cultures throughout history. In ancient Rome, people would apply fake ones made of leather to their faces. In China, moles have been a part of facial readings – a form of divination/fortune telling.

During the 18th century in Europe, beauty marks became a fashion symbol, with women wearing fake ones made of fabrics like silk or velvet. They’d even have them formed into shapes like stars, moons, or hearts! Women who were poorer often wore moles made of mouse fur to hide smallpox scars.

Today, we’re mindful about checking our moles to ensure we don’t have skin cancer. But there are some people who like to draw on fake moles for cosmetic reasons. Love them or hate them, most of us have them!

What are your feelings on beauty marks or body moles? Do you have a special one that you consider a part of you?