# What causes moles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 18, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-moles/364953 "2006-07-18T01:18:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-moles/364953/1 "2006-07-18T01:18:35Z")
Since I’ve been getting older, I’ve noticed more and more moles popping up on my body. Some look like tiny meatballs, lol. What causes this? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-moles/364953/2 "2006-07-18T01:28:57Z")
Grubs. Are you full of grubs? ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-moles/364953/3 "2006-07-18T01:47:34Z")
I don’t know, but once when I was a kid, (4th grade IIRC,) I was at a swimming pool, and I saw what looked to me like a balled up earthworm on a lady’s shoulder. I got her attention, and said as quietly as I could, “Excuse me, you’ve got like a balled up worm on your shoulder or something!” She squinted at me, death in her eyes, and growled, “It’s a fucking mole.” I felt really bad, but, eh, whaddayagonnado? -Kris ---
**Author:** ![Carlyjay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Carlyjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carlyjay)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-moles/364953/4 "2006-07-18T01:49:33Z")
Ew, a lady swore at a little kid? I hope a balled-up earthworm ate her. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-moles/364953/5 "2006-07-18T01:54:24Z")
When I was a little kid my mom told me they were caused by not washing well enough. ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-moles/364953/6 "2006-07-18T01:58:14Z")
I don’t know what causes moles, but I do know that what a lot of people think are moles are actually seborrheic keratoses. They are warty growths that appear stuck on the skin and come in a variety of lovely colors- black, grey, brown, and sometimes red. They tend to crop up after age 30, and they seem to be hereditary. They are completely benign and not caused by the sun. Could that be what you have? ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-moles/364953/7 "2006-07-18T02:06:42Z")
It’s possible, it’s on my back and I can’t really get close enough to it. Maybe I’ll take a pic and do a TMI post. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-moles/364953/8 "2006-07-18T02:32:18Z")
What causes moles? Well, you see, when a mommy mole and a daddy mole love each other… ---
**Author:** ![Meeko](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Meeko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meeko)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-moles/364953/9 "2006-07-18T04:01:38Z")
Ironically, I saw a “new” mole about 2 days ago. So the timing of this is great. Im 23 however. As it is, Ive got enough moles to share. ---
**Author:** ![RetroVertigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b38774/32.png) [@RetroVertigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RetroVertigo)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-moles/364953/10 "2006-07-18T04:24:39Z")
According to the Mayo Clinics site [moles](http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/moles/DS00121/DSECTION=3) are caused by "clusters of melanocytes ". I read in another article that I can’t find now that most scientist agree on ultra-violet light as one of the factors that cause new mole growth. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-moles/364953/11 "2006-07-18T04:33:17Z")
Wikipedia on [moles(skin markings)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(skin_marking)). Wikipedia on [birthmarks](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birthmark). At the bottom of this page are contrasts between [benign moles and melanomia](http://www.umm.edu/dermatology-info/other.htm). “Recognizing changes in your moles, by following this ABCD Chart, is crucial in detecting malignant melanoma, and other cancerous skin growths at its earliest stage of development.” From [here](http://www.medicinenet.com/melanoma/article.htm): “Moles are very common. Most people have between 10 and 40 of these brown, tan, or black areas on the skin. Moles can be flat or raised. They are usually round or oval and smaller than a pencil eraser. They can be present at birth or appear later, usually before age 40. Moles generally grow or change only slightly over a long period of time. They tend to fade away in older people.” ---
**Author:** ![gabriela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/db5fbb/32.png) [@gabriela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gabriela)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2006, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-causes-moles/364953/12 "2006-07-18T10:10:18Z")
How about a slight hijack: What evolutionary purpose do (melanocytic, skin) moles serve? (none?)