Only rarely does a common mole turn into melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer.
Although common moles are not cancerous, people who have many small moles or several large ones have an increased risk of developing melanoma (1).
Certain changes in a mole may indicate that it is turning into a melanoma (2). People should tell their doctor if they notice
The color of the mole changes
The mole gets unevenly smaller or bigger (unlike normal moles in children, which get evenly bigger)
The mole changes in shape, texture, or height
The skin on the surface of the mole becomes dry or scaly
The mole becomes hard or feels lumpy
The mole starts to itch
The mole bleeds or oozes