What Causes Skin Moles?

Skin moles are growths on the skin, often round or oval-shaped with a dark color. The color may however vary to different shades. Some skin moles are flat while others are a bit raised from the skin.

A skin mole is caused by the melanocyte cells in the skin. These cells produce melanin and are responsible for the color of the skin, eyes and hair. It is formed when melanocyte cells do not spread thought the skin but grow in clusters.



Usually melanocyte cells grow normally and so the growth is usually benign. However in certain cases the melanocye cells may start to grow in an abnormal way, which may result in melanoma, a cancer of the skin.
Skin moles are very common. Most of them are present at birth while others appear as the person grows older. Some may also disappear with age. Their main causes depend mainly on:
- Heredity

- Exposure to sunlight
- Hormonal changes
- Age

They may become darker.The principle reason for this is too much exposure to sunlight. Heavy exposure to sunlight during childhood and the teenage years highly increases the chances of developing new skin moles or that current ones increase in size. Sun beds and tanning saloons can also increase their growth.

Our genes determine many factors. If your parents have plenty of skin moles, probably you will have a lot too. Further more a history of skin cancer in your family also increases the risk that a mole may grow or develops into a cancerous growth.

Hormonal changes also make them to grow or new ones to appear. This may more commonly happen during pregnancy, the menopausal stage and during teenage years.
Generally as we get older, some tend to disappear.

Different Types of Warts - What is a Foot Wart

Foot warts are a type of warts that can be found at the bottom of the foot. A foot wart is about 1cm in diameter and is generally paler than the nearby skin. It has tiny black dots at the centre.

Foot warts have the tendency to group together into clusters. Because it is at the bottom of the foot, this type of wart is generally quite flat.

Sometimes it may cause pain because of the constant pressure exerted on them when walking. Further more, because of this constant pressure, it has the tendency to grow back inside the foot.
A foot wart is also known by the name of plantar wart. The medical name for this type of wart is 'verruca plantaris' or just 'verruca'.

The human papilloma virus or HPV causes foot warts. This virus is responsible also for other type of warts. The human papilloma virus can enter your skin from little cuts or scratches.
Unfortunately this virus is also contagious and so you may get foot warts from getting this virus from another individual. Objects that are touched by another individual that carries this virus may also be contagious.




The human papilloma virus dwells in wet and warm habitats. So bathrooms and swimming pool areas are excellent habitats for this virus. It is a good idea to take appropriate caution and as far as you can you may not walk bare footed in these areas.

Further more if you have this type of warts do not scratch it and then touch other parts of your body. Pay particular attention not to scratch it with your other foot since this may also increase the chance of getting a foot wart on your other foot as well.

There are many types of foot warts treatments that can help you to treat this type of wart. They include over the counter wart removal treatments, surgical wart removal treatment and home treatments for warts.