What is black mole: Mole Negro Sauce (Black Mole Sauce )
Mole Negro Sauce (Black Mole Sauce )
How to make Mole Negro Sauce (aka black Mole sauce)-a deep, smoky, slightly spicy sauce that hails from Mexico made with dried black chilies, warming spices and a hint of bittersweet chocolate. Trust me, you’ll want to put this on everything. Vegan! Make this in 35 minutes! Video
Here is my recipe for Mole Negro which, in my mind, I like to call Love Sauce, because it’s luscious and smoky, deep and spicy, bitter, sweet and deliciously complex. Like love. And also, my husband Brian LOVES this sauce, so over the years, whenever I make this, I think of it as an act of love- or love sauce. Plus, I just love making it, it’s kind of magic ✨.
What is Mole Negro?
If unfamiliar Mole, or Mole Negro (pronounced moh-lay nay-grow) there are hundreds of variations of Mole Sauce throughout Mexico, depending on where you are and the season. In essence, Mole is a rich Mexican sauce made from dried or fresh chilies, nuts or seeds, and can range in color from green to yellow to red and all the way to black.
Mole Negro, or “black mole” is one of my all-time favorites and gets its deep dark color from smoked black chilies, prunes (or raisins) and chocolate. It’s velvety and rich, without being cloying, and has a beautiful balance of flavors when you get it just right.
Though it is believed to originate from Oaxaca, while there, we learned it is actually a pre-Hispanic sauce, one that has been carried down from the indigenous people who lived before, who served many variations of it.
Mole Negro Sauce | Video
What to serve Mole Negro Sauce with:
- enchiladas
- Chicken, turkey, pork, tofu, instant pot carnitas
- tamales
- tacos
- Whole roasted cauliflower
- Stuffed poblanos
- Stir some into your next pot of chili!
Chilies to use in Mole Negro Sauce
To give Mole Negro its deep black color seek out dark-colored chilies. Here are a few of my favorite and I always try to use at least two varieties ( that vary in heat and flavor).
Adding a few kinds of chilies adds complexity. So today I chose 3 Mulato and 3 Ancho chilies. Pay attention to heat levels!
- Mulato – dark, sweet, smoky, medium heat
- Chilies Negros– dark black, earthy, sweet, mild heat.
- Morita-smoky, sweet, medium- high heat.
- Ancho -dark, fruity, lightly smoky, mild heat
- Pasilla– dark, dried fruit flavor, medium heat.
- Chipotle -dark smoky, medium heat
- Guajillo– redish, sweet with acidity, mild heat.
- Cascabel– red, fruity and mild
How to Make Mole Negro Sauce:
Step one:
Break chilies apart (or use scissors) and discard the seeds and stems. (Or save the seeds and plant them!)
Step two:
Toast the chilies in a dry skillet to release the flavorful oils.
Step three:
Place the chilies in a medium pot with 4 cups stock or broth.
Bring to a boil, cover and simmer 10 minutes.
Step four:
Add 1 cup dried prunes or raisins to the chillies and cover, simmering 10 more minutes. Let cool.
Step five:
While chillies are simmering, saute onion and garlic until tender and fragrant and deeply golden.
Add the spices, toasting them for 2-3 minutes.
Step six:
Place the onion spice mixture and the chili-prune mixture in a blender with all the cooking liquid and puree.
Blend for a full minute until silky smooth.
Step seven:
Return the sauce to the pan and stir in the salt, peanut butter ( or tahini paste) and chocolate into the sauce, until melted and combined.
Whisk it smooth, and taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking! (See recipe notes) Depending on the chilies you pick, you may need to adjust heat level and sweetness.
😉
Your Mole Negro Sauce is ready to use!
It will taste heavenly- deep, earthy, and smoky, spicy, rich, slightly bittersweet from the chocolate. All the good flavors!
Storing Mole Sauce
- This recipe will make 4 cups of Mole sauce.
- Mole will keep up to 4 days in the fridge
- Mole sauce can be frozen for later use.
I’m so excited for you to make this because I KNOW you’ll love it as much as we do!
xoxo
Sylvia
Mole Negro Sauce
★★★★★
5 from 11 reviews
- Author: Sylvia Fountaine | Feasting at Home
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 25
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 cups 1x
- Category: sauce
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
border-color secondary-color.background-color”/>Description
How to make Mole Negro Sauce- a deep, smoky, slightly spicy sauce that hails from Mexico made with dried black chilies, warming spices and a hint of bittersweet chocolate. Trust me, you’ll want to put this on everything. Vegan! Make this in 35 minutes!
Mole Negro Sauce:
- 6 dried chilies (2 varieties, medium heat-dark in color-see post body)
- 4 cups broth or stock (chicken or veggie)
- 1 cup seedless prunes (or dark raisins)
- 1 large onion- diced
- 6–10 garlic cloves- smashed
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin (ground or seeds)
- 2 teaspoon coriander (ground or seeds)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- optional: 1-2 canned chipotle peppers, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce ( the “juice” from chipotle can)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 cup peanut butter (or sub tahini paste, almond butter, cashew butter)
- 1 1/2 -2 ounces dark chocolate (bittersweet or semi-sweet) about 1/3 cup
other additions: agave syrup or maple
Cook Mode
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border-color secondary-color.background-color”/>- Tear the dried chilies apart (or cut with scissors) discard seeds and stems and place them in a dry skillet. Toast over medium heat until they begin to release their oils (they will take on a slight sheen), 3-4 minutes.
- Place them in medium pot, add 4 cups of broth. Bring to a boil, cover, turn the heat down to low and simmer covered, 10 minutes.
- Add the prunes, stir, cover, simmer on low 10 more minutes, turn the heat off, let cool, saving the liquid.
- At the same time, saute the onions and garlic in 2 tablespoons olive oil, over medium heat, stirring often until deeply golden brown, about 10 minutes. Take your time here and let them get dark. Add all the spices and stir 1-2 more minutes, toasting the spices.
- Place the cooked onion-spice mixture in a blender along with the chilies and prunes and all the liquid, and chipotles and the adobo sauce ( if using). Feel free to add a little more broth to get the blender going.
Blend until very smooth, scraping down the sides. If it feels very thick, loosen with more broth. It should be like the consistency of a thick smoothie. Once silky smooth, pour this back into the pan and heat over low heat, covering. - When warm, stir in the salt, peanut butter and chocolate. Once the chocolate is fully melted and incorporated, give a taste.
- Adjust seasonings. Add more heat if you like (chipotle sauce or chipotle powder). Add more chocolate if you like. It should taste deep and smokey, slightly salty and slightly sweet. If it lacks depth, more salt may help bring out the other flavors or a tiny splash of soy sauce. To add more sweetness, a tiny splash of agave or maple syrup will help here. If you want it smokier, stir in smoked paprika or adobo sauce from the canned chipotles. If it is too spicy, add more peanut butter and broth and reseason with salt.
- To loosen the sauce, feel free to add more broth or stock.
Blend until very smooth, scraping down the sides. If it feels very thick, loosen with more broth. It should be like the consistency of a thick smoothie. Once silky smooth, pour this back into the pan and heat over low heat, covering.
border-color secondary-color.background-color”/>Notes
This will make 4 cups of Mole Negro Sauce.
Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, or frozen. The sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated.
CHILIES: use an assortment
- Mulato – dark, sweet, smoky, medium heat
- Chilies Negros– dark black, earthy, sweet, mild heat.
- Morita-smoky, sweet, medium- high heat.
- Ancho -dark, fruity, lightly smoky, mild heat
- Pasilla– dark, dried fruit flavor, medium heat.
- Chipotle -dark smoky, medium heat
- Guajillo– redish, sweet with acidity, mild heat.
- Cascabel– red, fruity and mild
Nutrition
color”>Serving Size: ½ cup- Calories: 81
- Sugar: 8.1 g
- Sodium: 274.8 mg
- Fat: 3.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 12.5 g
- Fiber: 1.3 g
- Protein: 1.8 g
- Cholesterol: 0.2 mg
color”>Keywords: mole negro, mole negro recipe, black mole, black mole recipe
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Hi, I’m Sylvia!
Chef and author of the whole-foods recipe blog, Feasting at Home, Sylvia Fountaine is a former restaurant owner and caterer turned full-time food blogger. She currently lives in the Pacific Northwest and shares seasonal, healthy recipes along with tips and tricks from her home kitchen.
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Rick BaylessOaxacan Black Mole – Rick Bayless
Moles and Pipianes/
Mole Negro Oaxaqueño
Making black mole is an undertaking, one that folks in Mexico often spread over three days. The first day is for collecting, measuring and doing the preliminary steps of preparation—the cleaning, toasting, roasting and such—or what in the professional kitchen is called mise en place, setting everything in its place so that the cooking will go smoothly.
I’ve labeled those steps Basic Preparations below. The cooking often takes place on the second day, followed by serving on the third day. That’s the way we make this version in our restaurants. It’s a compilation of years of Oaxaca exploration and stove-side experience—classic, deeply satisfying and awesome, but not too baroque (some recipes have nearly 40 ingredients). \
It’s common in Oaxaca to poach chicken to serve with this mole, using the poaching liquid in the mole itself. At Topolobampo, our Michelin-starred, Beard Award-winning restaurant, we serve it with wood-grilled ribeye. Though it may strike you as like cultural whiplash, seared foie gras with black mole is a thing of wonder.
Ingredients
|
Instructions
Though the preparation is detailed and lengthy, it is manageable for anyone who has set his or her eyes on this prize.
Just a few points to pay attention to:
- The toasting of the dried chiles is very important—in fact, it is the key to turning out a true black mole. One of the most important differences between Oaxacan black mole and, say, Pueblan mole (mole poblano) is dark, dry-heat toasting of the chiles. If you don’t toast the chiles long and dark enough, the mole will turn out reddish brown, not “bitter chocolate” black. If you toast them so much that they’re truly carbonized, they won’t absorb the soaking water and the mole will taste gritty.
- When blending the chiles and nut mixture, a high-speed blender like a Vitamix is ideal, but if that isn’t available, blend the chiles in a couple of batches, letting the machine run long enough to create as silky a puree as possible.
- The cooking of the chile paste takes patience. You’ll notice it darkening as it cooks down, reducing to a near-black substance about the consistency of tomato paste. Again, unless you reach this stage, the mole will be lighter than what’s expected from black mole.
- Balancing flavors with salt and sugar takes a bit of experience. Because there is natural bitterness in dried chiles and some of the other ingredients—bitterness that is accentuated by dark toasting—this mole comes into perfect balance with sweetness. There is gentle sweetness in the ripe plantain, dried fruit and roasted tomato, but not enough. Sugar (or piloncillo or agave syrup) is what you’ll need. Susana Trilling, the talented, very knowledgeable cooking teacher in Oaxaca, uses naturally sweet, rich chicken or pork stock to do the heavy lifting in balancing flavor. Using a gentle stock (or water) will necessitate a stronger sweetener to find flavor equilibrium.
Again, unless you reach this stage, the mole will be lighter than what’s expected from black mole. Basic preparations: toast and soak the chiles. Heat a very large (12-inch), heavy skillet or griddle over medium. Turn on an exhaust fan and/or open a window or door to minimize the effects of “chile fumes.
” In 4 batches, lay the chiles in a single layer on the hot surface and turn them regularly until they have darkened evenly. Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat: you want to deeply toast them, not burn them. Right away, you’ll notice that the inside of the chiles will turn a lighter color—what I’d call a tobacco brown. When the chiles have reached the full “black mole” toast, that tobacco brown will have darkened to chocolate brown and the exterior of the chiles will have crispy spots. This is painstaking work—each batch will take 8 to 12 minutes, the thinner-fleshed chiles taking less than the thick-fleshed ones. But more than anything else in this preparation, the final flavor depends on getting the toast right. The more you toast chiles for black mole, the more adept you’ll become at judging just the right stage. Collect all the chiles into a bowl, cover with hot tap water, weight with a plate to keep them submerged, and soak the chiles for 45 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid and set aside.
Basic preparations: burn the seeds. Measure ¼ cup of the chile seeds and discard the rest. Pour them into your skillet (if you were using a griddle, best to change to a skillet here, so you don’t have to chase them around). Set over medium heat and stir regularly for 4 to 5 minutes until the seeds until are nearly black. As they approach black, you’ll notice they become shiny as natural oils migrate to the surface. At that point, shake the seeds to one side of the skillet and hold a lighter, long match or culinary blow torch directly on the surface of the seeds until they catch fire. (You may have to direct the flame to several spots on the pile to get it all to catch.) When most of the pile is in flames, gently stir the seeds until the flame dies out (it will take several minutes). Scoop them into a small dish, cover with cold water, swish around for a couple of minutes or so to dislodge the ash. Drain off the water and scoop them into a large bowl.
Basic preparations: dry-toast almonds and sesame seeds.
Wipe out the skillet and return it to medium heat. Add the almonds and stir regularly until the nuts are richly browned throughout, about 7 minutes and crape into the bowl with the seeds. Add the sesame seeds to the skillet (they will start to pop) and stir them for 3 to 4 minutes, until they, too, are richly browned. Add them and the roasted peanuts to the seed and almond bowl.
Basic preparations: brown onions, garlic and fruit. In the skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil or lard over medium to medium-high. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring regularly, until richly browned, about 7 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop in with the seed and nut mixture, leaving behind as much fat as possible. Add a little more fat to the pan if necessary to coat it generously, then add the plantain and cook, stirring frequently, until it is richly browned, too, 4 to 5 minutes. Use the slotted spoon to scoop it in with the other browned ingredients, add more fat to the pan if necessary and scoop in the raisins.
Stir regularly until the raisins puff and brown, about a minute, then scoop in with the rest of the mix.
Basic Preparations: spices and herbs. Measure the spices and herbs (but not the avocado leaves) into a mortar or electric spice mill and pulverize. Scrape into the seed and nut mixture.
Basic Preparations: roast tomato and tomatillos, toast tortilla and bread. Heat a broiler and position the rack as high as possible. Spread the tomato and tomatillos onto a rimmed baking sheet and slide under the broiler. Roast until blistered and blackened on one side, about 6 minutes, then flip them over and roast the other side. Remove and replace with the tortilla and bread, watching them carefully as they darken, even char a bit. Darkly toast both sides for about a minute. Scrape the tomato and tomatillos in with the seed and nut mixture, followed by broken pieces of bread and tortilla. Add 3 cups of the broth.
Blend the chiles. Scoop half of the chiles into a blender jar.
Taste the soaking liquid: If it’s really bitter, discard it; if sweet with just a hint of bitter, use it to puree the chiles. Pour just enough chile-soaking liquid or water into the blender to almost cover the chiles. Blend to as smooth a puree as possible, adding more liquid if necessary to keep the puree moving through the blades. This will likely take a couple of minutes, even with a high-speed blender. (Adding so much liquid that the puree becomes soupy will inhibit obtaining a satiny puree and considerably lengthen the cooking process.) Press through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl; discard the skins in the strainer. Puree the second batch of chiles in the same way and strain in with first batch. Set aside the blender for the nut mixture—no need to wash.
Blend the seed and nut mixture. Scrape the mixture (including the liquid) into the blender and blend to as smooth a puree as possible. (It should be so smooth that a drop rubbed between your fingers has no detectable grittiness.
) Strain through a medium-mesh strainer into a bowl.
Cook the chile puree. Set a very large earthenware cazuela or heavy pot over medium-high heat—an 8- to 12-quart capacity is ideal. When hot, add ¼ cup of the oil or lard, and when that offers up the first whiff of smoke, add the chile puree all at once. Cook, stirring almost continually, until shiny and reduced to the almost the thickness of tomato paste, 8 to 12 minutes. A spatter screen or cookie sheet set askew on the pot can help catch spatters.
Cook down the seed and nut mixture. Add the blended mixture and stir almost continually for about 10 minutes, until the mixture is nearly as dark and thick as the chile puree was.
Simmer the mole. Add the chocolate, avocado leaves and remaining 4 cups of broth (the mole will be quite thin at this point) and simmer, partially covered, over medium-low heat for a couple of hours—the longer the better. If it thickens past the consistency of a cream soup—for me, the ideal—add more broth (or water) to adjust.
Season the mole. Even if you’re serving the mole in a day or two, season it now. Start with 1 tablespoon salt (less if you used salty broth). Stir it thoroughly into the mole, wait a minute, then taste. Add more salt, a little at a time, tasting until you feel you’ve reached the saltiness of, say, chili—even though what’s in front of you will taste angular and out of balance. Now stir in ¼ cup sugar, wait a minute, then taste. The fruitiness of the chiles should emerge, plus the picante and the bitterness should come into balance. Continue to add sugar by the tablespoon, until the full flavor of the chiles and fruits emerge and the balance seems perfect. The right amount of sugar will always leave this mole with an aura of sweetness enveloping all that rich complexity and underlying bitterness. Think: good Italian amaro. As all the flavors meld over the next 24 hours or so, you’ll likely need to adjust the seasonings.
Entrees,
Celebration Food,
Oaxaca,
what it is and where to turn, dermato-oncologist in Moscow.
Mole or medical term Nevus.
This is the collective name for limited, benign lesions of the skin or mucous membranes.
The development of which is based on melanocyte – specialized skin cells that produce melanin.
Fair-skinned people have an average of 20 to 30 nevi.
Some are congenital or develop after birth in young children.
With age, the number of moles may increase, which is not considered a pathology.
Acquired moles are associated with the accumulation of pigment-forming cells.
Such as melanocytes in the upper layers of the skin.
In detail, the nevus is located either in the epidermis, in the dermis (corium), or on the border between these layers of the skin.
These spots can vary in color, being light, dark brown or even black.
Some moles are flat, others are elevated.
Intense and constant exposure of the skin to ultraviolet radiation, as well as hormonal causes, cause or accelerate the development of birthmarks.
In principle, the development of moles is a complex process.
Biological factors and the environment play an important role.
Nevus is usually benign.
Therefore, the reasons for surgical removal are mainly cosmetic.
Only if the spot is perceived as disturbing, for example, its color or shape has changed dramatically, a detailed examination is prescribed with the determination of subsequent treatment.
Black moles attract particular attention.
May appear on the background of hormonal changes, during pregnancy and lactation.
Most patients consider the appearance of a dark nevus as an increased risk of developing skin cancer.
However, not every black mole on the skin is melanoma, however, they require a doctor’s consultation.
The specialist will first evaluate the clinical change of the mass by viewing it with the naked eye.
The next step in the diagnosis will be dermatoscopy.
Dermatoscopy is a diagnostic measure.
Used to differentiate skin lesions.
Determines if a black mole is of epidermal, vascular or melanocytic origin.
Dangerous clinical signs of a mole
Are black moles dangerous, what complications can they provoke?
If you find a black mole, do not immediately panic, but it is always better to see a doctor.
Not all such nevi are malignant, the risk of transformation into an atypical formation does not exceed 5%.
It is mandatory to visit a dermatologist if a black mole appears and the following clinical changes are observed:
- A previously detected black nevus has increased in size (even a slight increase requires an internal consultation with a specialist).
- The surface of the mole has changed its structure (looseness, tuberosity has appeared).
- Mole changes are accompanied by peeling, itching, bleeding.
- There is a change in the color parameter of the nevus: the mole abruptly began to change color, the red turned black, there is a transition from brown to bluish.
Normally, moles should not change.
Therefore, any dynamics should encourage a person to turn to a specialist and undergo the necessary examination.
It is strictly forbidden to try to remove a nevus on your own or use drugs intended to eliminate papillomas, warts.
Injury to a mole is a provoking factor in the development of malignancy – melanoma.
Melanoma is a type of skin cancer.
This is a very dangerous tumor with unpredictable behavior.
The disease can be quite easily prevented in the early stages, but the treatment of advanced forms of melanoma is not very effective.
Globally, malignant melanoma ranks third among all cancers.
Varieties of dangerous black moles
Not always a black convex and flat mole indicates an ongoing malignant process.
In the following, moles that are melanoma-prone will be described.
In the presence of favorable factors, they are able to degenerate into malignant, cancerous neoplasms.
Black moles that are considered potentially dangerous:
- Dysplastic nevus (dysplastic nevus)
Dysplastic nevus (nevoid tumor) is a pigment-type lesion.
Has the ability to transform into atypical.
The presence of such stains may indicate a direct danger, which is determined by the so-called ABCD rules.
These rules include:
- education asymmetry (A)
- incorrect or worn border (B)
- More than two colors available (C)
- spot diameter over 5 mm (D)
Nevoid tumor does not tend to be inherited.
It develops equally in both men and women, it is diagnosed in 6% of the world’s population.
Such a mole has a flat surface, less often it can rise above the level of the skin epidermis.
There is no typical localization for this type of nevus.
A preliminary diagnosis can be made on the basis of dermatoscopy.
The type of formation can only be confirmed by histology after surgical removal of the mole.
The main treatment is excision of the neoplasm, followed by monitoring of the patient every 3-12 months.
Photographic documentation of skin malignancy with overview photographs and microscopic images is particularly important.
In this way, even the smallest changes can be detected and dangerous moles removed in time.
Particular attention should be paid if a black mole appears on the labia majora.
Although this phenomenon is rare, such a nevus may be malignant.
- Nevus Yadassona-Tits
Benign, rarely acquired, dermal, melanocytic tumor.
Composed of mature, pigmented, dendritic, spindle cells and/or epithelioid melanocytes.
Acquired blue nevi may also appear in adulthood.
Due to their color, they are often mistaken for malignant melanoma.
Worldwide distribution possible.
But more often observed on the arms, legs and head, in the area of hair growth (more than 60% of cases).
Visually, the blue nevus has a regular shape, its surface is smooth.
Such formations are usually solitary, up to 1 cm in diameter (in rare cases, 2-3 cm in size have been found).
Although the blue nevus has this name, it can be either dark blue or black.
A provoking factor of malignancy is injury to a mole or attempts to self-excise a neoplasm.
If the mole is small and not traumatized, and its growth is also not observed, removal is carried out only at the request of the patient.
Since nevus Yadassona-Tits does not often develop into melanoma, dermatologists choose to wait and see.
If the black mole grows, it is advisable to prescribe the removal of the neoplasm.
After excision of the nevus, its histological examination is mandatory.
- Nevus Ota (Ota-Sato phakomatosis)
The characteristic localization of the formation is the face, it often develops in patients of Asian appearance.
As a rule, the nevus is located in the cheek area and may affect the mucous membrane of the eye.
Such a black mole on the face has another name – oculocutaneous melanosis.
Education refers to melanoma, but rarely progresses to an atypical tumor.
When diagnosing a nevus of Ota, regular monitoring by a dermatologist is recommended.
It is believed that phakomatoses have a progressive nature and hereditary predisposition.
Surgical intervention to excise phakomatosis is rarely prescribed when signs of malignancy are detected.
Laser therapy is recommended to eliminate a formation in order to eliminate a cosmetic defect.
There is currently no definitive study that shows the underlying cause of Ota’s nevus.
Some researchers believe that the phenomenon may be caused by a genetic mutation.
Others claim that hormonal factors or radiation can cause phakomatosis.
Although more research is needed to confirm both options.
People with oculocutaneous melanosis that has spread to the mucous membrane of the eye are more likely to develop glaucoma.
This is because melanocytes, which cause hyperpigmentation, block fluid flow in the eye, thereby increasing intraocular pressure.
- Border pigmented nevus
A borderline nevus is a pigmented spot no larger than 1 cm.
Colors can vary from gray to brown and black.
More often this mole is brown-black.
A borderline nevus can develop anywhere on the skin.
As a preventive measure, it is recommended to remove the formation using laser equipment.
The nevus is benign.
It rarely develops into oncology, but experts recommend an annual examination by a dermatologist.
- Giant pigmented nevus
A congenital pigmented nevus is considered giant if it is larger than 20 cm in diameter.
Giant congenital nevi can occur in people of any racial background and in any area of the body.
They are the result of localized genetic changes in the fetus that lead to an overgrowth of melanocytes responsible for skin color.
Congenital nevus may not be accompanied by any other signs.
A may occur together with itching or increased dryness of the skin.
The color may be fairly uniform or may consist of several shades, including shades of brown, black, red or blue.
The predominant number of patients have a black and red mole.
In about 5-10% of cases, giant congenital nevus is associated with neurocutaneous melanocytosis (excessive pigment cells in the brain or spinal cord).
Characterized by neurological symptoms.
This nevus has an increased risk of transition from a benign lesion to a malignant melanoma.
Where possible, treatment includes surgery to remove the nevus.
In other cases, other treatments such as laser dermabrasion may be considered.
In most cases where there are no neurological problems, the prognosis is good.
But it is necessary that the formation be regularly examined by a doctor.
There are also other types of nevi, for example, you can find a dark brown mole with black patches. Such a neoplasm is likely to be benign.
Often defined as a pigmented nevus of the papillomatous type.
During pregnancy, there are cases when a black mole appears on the nipple.
Usually, after childbirth, during the period of normalization of the hormonal background, the formation disappears.
But in a mandatory case, you will need to consult a doctor if a black mole hurts and changes.
Diagnostic methods for black moles
Melanocytic tumors are one of the main problems in diagnostic dermatopathology.
Because they include benign nevi, malignant melanomas and borderline cases.
In addition to the proportion of congenital lesions, most benign nevi occur in early or adulthood.
May eventually undergo regressive changes.
Particular care should be taken if moles, nevi have become black.
Mole dermatoscopy
The main diagnostic measure is dermatoscopy.
Dermatoscopy is a visual examination of the skin by dermatologists.
Diagnosis is essential for the prevention and early diagnosis of skin cancer.
The test uses a device known as a dermatoscope.
This is a small instrument that can enlarge the area of the skin to be examined.
The device also has a light source.
There are many types of dermatoscopes.
In simpler models, the diagnostician looks directly into the magnifying glass.
If the device model is more modern, the dermatoscope can be connected to a computer.
This will allow you to enlarge the picture as many times as you want.
The image can be downloaded and saved to a computer for later use or to send to other healthcare professionals.
Dermoscopy is a non-invasive imaging technique.
Allows you to see submicroscopic structures invisible to the naked eye.
Diagnosis is used to study pigmented and amelanotic skin lesions.
Dermatoscopy is also called epiluminescence microscopy, incident light microscopy, and skin surface microscopy.
The most commonly used imaging modality in dermatological practice.
Preparation for dermatoscopy of moles, disadvantages and advantages of the method
The analysis does not require special preparation from the patient, the examination is absolutely painless.
The only relative disadvantage is that dermatoscopy evaluates the appearance of blackheads subjectively.
The result largely depends on the experience of the medical examiner.
However, a modern dermatoscope with the ability to connect to a computer allows you to share the results with other doctors.
This increases the likelihood of a correct diagnosis and an accurate diagnosis.
Special computer programs are being developed that should facilitate the differentiation of benign and dangerous lesions of the epidermis.
Dermatoscopy is a simple, non-invasive and widely available diagnostic method.
Does not expose the patient to harmful radiation and provides valuable information for assessing skin lesions of unknown origin.
However, the most informative method for diagnosing moles/nevi remains histopathology (histology).
Histopathology is the gold standard for diagnosis in dermatology.
Dermoscopy is an additional tool to assess the condition of the epidermis.
It should be taken into account that the effectiveness and information content of this method also depends on the specialist – the diagnostic accuracy of dermatoscopy correlates with the doctor’s experience.
How black moles are treated
There are two treatment options – expectant management / observation of the patient by a dermatologist and removal / excision of a black mole.
In the first case, expectant management is necessary when the chance of developing an atypical process is extremely low.
And the patient does not feel any discomfort from the mole, neither emotional nor physical.
Surgical removal is recommended when a black mole has a chance of becoming malignant.
Or for aesthetic reasons, eg on the face, genitals, cheek.
The following removal methods can be used to remove a nevus:
- Surgery. The tumor is completely removed. If during the course of dermatological diagnostics it was revealed that the mole is accompanied by a malignant process, surgical intervention should consist of removing a certain edge of healthy tissue to prevent local recurrence.
- Cryosurgery. A procedure that uses a special instrument called a cryoprobe. The device is used to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue. The cryoprobe has a thin end that is cooled by substances such as liquid nitrogen and liquid nitrous oxide. Cryosurgery may be used to treat certain types of cancer and certain conditions that may progress to a malignant process. This manipulation is also called cryoablation or cryotherapy. The technique can be used if there are black moles on the penis or in the perineal area.
- Radio wave excision. The procedure is based on the use of a special drug, more often it is Surgitron, which produces high frequency radio waves. During the manipulation, the pathologically altered tissue is destroyed, while the surrounding epidermis is not injured. When removing moles, radio wave excision is often recommended. During the procedure, the vessel is blocked, so the risk of bleeding is almost zero. A black mole after this type of removal is not accompanied by the development of scar tissue, the healing of the excision site is fast.
- Laser removal. Excision of moles with a laser is considered the most effective method. The laser beam is able to penetrate deep into the epidermis, clearly along a given trajectory. This contributes to the effective removal of the nevus without blood loss. More often, the procedure is recommended for phakomatosis of Ota. The procedure has proven itself in the removal of black moles on the lip and facial area.
This manipulation is also called cryoablation or cryotherapy. The technique can be used if there are black moles on the penis or in the perineal area.
The procedure has proven itself in the removal of black moles on the lip and facial area.Prevention of mole degeneration
Nevus progression can only be prevented to a limited extent.
The state of the immune system, hormonal fluctuations and genetic predisposition have a great influence on their development.
Another precipitating factor in the development of moles is excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation.
UV may promote nevus growth and increase the risk of cancer.
Because radiation promotes the production of melatonin.
Particular attention should be paid to children who have various nevi on their bodies.
If the child has a black mole, sunscreen should be used in hot weather and the skin should not be burned.
To prevent skin cancer, it is very important to monitor existing moles.
In case of even slight changes, contact a dermatologist immediately.
If you want to remove a mole from a purely aesthetic point of view, you must first check it with a doctor.
Laser nevi removal procedures can now be performed by people who are not doctors.
In this case, there is a risk that the cosmetologist will not recognize the pathologically changed place and will not suspect that the black mole is melanoma.
As a consequence, recurrence is possible after removal.
For advice about a black mole, please contact the author of this article, MD. dermatologist oncologist in Moscow with many years of experience.
Black mark: all about the insidiousness of melanoma
Conversations
Interviewed by Olga Nikitina
December 4, 2015, 10:04
Dermatovenereologist Elena Bakhlykova told Vsluh.ru about how to recognize a “bad mole” and who is at risk.
_The risk of earning melanoma, which turns an ordinary mole into a fatal disease, has long been frightening lovers of the dangerous summer sun. Most recently, an action called “Melanoma Day” was held in Tyumen: four doctors examined the townspeople for malignancy of neoplasms all day long.
Why is such an effort needed? Is everything fatal and hopeless? For clarification, we turned to the Associate Professor of the Department of Skin and Venereal Diseases with a course of cosmetology of Tyumen State Medical University, Candidate of Medical Sciences, dermatovenereologist of the highest category, cosmetologist Elena Bakhlykova ._
Cancer – metastases – death diagnosed by dermatologists. This is true?
– Yes, often with the initial complaint they can turn to a dermatologist, because the problem is on the skin. The task of a dermatologist is to recognize the disease in time and refer it to other specialists. The final diagnosis is made by oncologists, the last word is theirs.
– There is an idea of melanoma as a “dysfunctional mole”. Is it so? What is the danger of melanoma?
— Melanoma is one of the malignant skin neoplasms. It can be called the most difficult, dangerous and insidious. The insidiousness lies in the rapid and early occurrence of metastases.
In terms of metastasis, melanoma ranks second after lung cancer. Metastases penetrating into vital organs lead to death. The mortality rate from melanoma is higher than from other malignant skin tumors.
— At what stage of melanoma can metastases appear?
– The answer to this question is given by the survey. There is a dependence of the occurrence of metastases on the size of melanoma and on the duration of its existence. In other words, the longer the neoplasm exists on the skin, the more likely the risk of metastases.
– Where does melanoma come from?
– The cause of melanoma, like many other diseases, is not known for certain. However, there are factors that influence its development and risk groups. Factors include hereditary predisposition and insolation – excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation, artificial or natural. And if heredity cannot be changed, then it is quite possible to protect yourself from insolation.
At risk are people with fair skin and light eyes who burn very quickly in the sun. They definitely need to protect the skin from exposure to ultraviolet rays. But, as a rule, fair-skinned people are aware of their vulnerability and try to defend themselves, but darker people neglect protection. And this increases the risk of disease. Also at risk are patients who have a lot of moles – more than fifty. Such people are not recommended to sunbathe, go south, and if they go, they need to constantly stay in the shade, protect their skin with sunscreens.
Suspicious symptom
======================
– Let’s go back to the “bad mole”. Can every mole be reborn into melanoma, and does melanoma necessarily occur in the place of a mole?
– Fortunately, not every nevus can be reborn. There are two options: melanoma arises from a benign formation – a mole, or appears on unchanged skin. In any case, when a nevus becomes dysplastic, changes its shape, this should alert the person.
– You said that melanoma can occur on intact skin. How to understand that it is she?
– Fears should be caused by a neoplasm with a violation of symmetry, a change in color and size. Irregularly shaped elements are suspicious, because nevi, as a rule, are round in shape, with clear boundaries. And if the mole suddenly began to grow and became asymmetric, this is already one of the signs of melanoma.
And then the color: melanomas are usually black. If the mole is unevenly colored – half black, half brown – this should also be alarming.
– Do I understand correctly that when dark blotches appear in a light mole, is it very bad?
– Well, they will not be dotted, but rather blurry. There are pigmentless melanomas that are even more insidious.
– Pigmentless? Skin colors?
– Even lighter. Not every specialist will be able to quickly navigate and understand that we are talking about melanoma.
But more often they are still black.
Are there any other symptoms?
– Nevi with a diameter of more than 6 mm can be called suspicious. Some sensations may also appear: suddenly it stung, itched … Sometimes obsessive thoughts about a neoplasm become a symptom. This is a subjective moment, but I have heard about this more than once. To calm down and find out the nature of the neoplasm, you need to contact a specialist.
The prognosis is disappointing
====================
— Is there any data on how many cases of melanoma are registered per year in our region?
— Such registers are maintained by oncologists, because the disease is still oncological. In 2014, melanoma was diagnosed in 27 men and 50 women. The age of the diseased is mainly from 50 to 69 years, there are cases of incidence in 20-24 years. Until the age of 20, melanoma is not registered. It should be clarified that statistics do not always reflect the real state of affairs.
These figures include only those cases that have been identified.
– Differences in patients by gender are immediately striking …
— Yes, there are more women among them. But perhaps not because they get sick more often, but because they apply more often. Men may neglect some manifestations, not reach the doctor. But women have a higher self-preservation instinct, I’m sure of that.
— What is the mortality rate for melanoma?
– Melanoma kills, on average, 1.8 people per hundred thousand of the population. Compared to lung cancer (24.6 per hundred thousand of the population), it seems that this is not so much. But in terms of mortality, the prognosis of melanoma is frightening: it is deadly.
— How does the disease progress? How fast can a person die?
– It is customary for oncologists to calculate everything for a five-year survival rate. If the thickness of the melanoma is about 1 mm and it is removed on time, then the five-year survival rate is about 90 percent.
If the thickness of melanoma is 3.5 mm, then the survival rate is already 50 percent. Do you understand? Of those who were treated, only half lived for five years!
– Melanoma is treated by surgery, right?
– Yes, and as far as I know oncological tactics, it is removed very deeply. If melanoma occurs on the foot, the entire foot may be removed to avoid metastases. But if the operation is performed on time, then the prognosis is more favorable.
What can be done?
======================
— Doctors say that the sooner a disease is detected, the easier it is to cure. What are the methods for detecting melanoma? Are there any programs for this?
– First, you need to learn how to conduct a self-examination: no one knows your body better than you. The population strategy should be carried out in the media, in educational educational programs.
Unfortunately, until recently there was no culture of getting a tan in our country.
Now this is all being grafted, but many people still do not recognize sunscreens. I am amazed by their logic: I have never used it, why start now? But after all, the direct connection of melanoma with ultraviolet radiation has been proven, it is able to stimulate the development of the disease!
Of course, the sun is necessary, but all in reasonable doses. Therefore, it is imperative to use sunscreen, do not stay in the active sun (open place) during dangerous hours. In our region, many have dachas, the older generation does not recognize any creams. It is no coincidence that melanomas and other malignant neoplasms of the skin most often appear on areas of the skin that are open from clothing – the face, hands.
– Literally the other day, on November 30, the Melanoma Day was held at the Regional Dermatovenerologic Dispensary. What results have been achieved with the help of the action?
– Such an action was held in Tyumen at the end of May, when the All-Russian Melanoma Diagnosis Day was held.
But a year is a very long time, so it was decided to spend melanoma days more often. This is designed to facilitate contact between the patient and the doctor: a person can make an appointment with their questions and receive qualified assistance. At appointments, the issue of not only diagnosis, but also prevention is resolved, doctors talk with patients about possible factors that contribute to preventing the development of malignant neoplasms.
During the whole day we saw 77 patients: more than half were elderly people. Fortunately, almost everyone was diagnosed with benign formations: keratomas, hemangiomas, papillomas, nevi, lipomas, fibromas. But still, we sent three out of 77 people to oncologists. Just in case.
— What should those who did not get to Melanoma Day do?
– Just make an appointment with a dermatologist. Admission to the dispensary is carried out under the CHI policy. During the year, you can apply with your problem. Remember that any rash on the skin is a reason to see a doctor.
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