What Does a Mole Look Like?

A common mole (nevus) is a small growth on the skin that is usually pink, tan, or brown and has a distinct edge.

A dysplastic nevus is often large and does not have a round or oval shape or a distinct edge. It may have a mixture of pink, tan, or brown shades. People who have many dysplastic nevi have a greater chance than others of developing melanoma, a dangerous form of skin cancer. However, most dysplastic nevi do not turn into melanoma.

If the color, size, shape, or height of a mole changes or if it starts to itch, bleed, or ooze, people should tell their doctor. People should also tell their doctor if they see a new mole that doesn't look like their other moles.

The photos below show the difference between common moles and dysplastic nevi.

Photos of Moles

Common Moles	Dysplastic Nevi
Common moles that are evenly tan or brown	Dysplastic nevi that are a mixture of tan, brown, and red/pink
A common mole that is round with a distinct edge	A dysplastic nevus with an irregular edge and the color fading into the skin around it
Common moles that are smooth spots on the skin	Dysplastic nevi with scaly or pebbly surfaces
A common mole is usually small. The first photo shows a common mole that is less than 5 millimeters (about 1/4 inch) wide. The second photo shows small moles on a person's back.	Dysplastic nevi are often larger than 5 millimeters wide. The first photo shows a large dysplastic nevus. The second photo shows several large dysplastic nevi circled on a person's back.

Common Moles

Dysplastic Nevi

Clinical photograph showing normal benign moles that appear uniformly tan or brown in color

Common moles that are evenly tan or brown

Clinical photograph showing dysplastic nevi (atypical moles) with characteristic mixed coloration of tan, brown, and reddish-pink areas, which differ from normal moles in their irregular color patterns.

Dysplastic nevi that are a mixture of tan, brown, and red/pink

Clinical photograph of a common benign mole with a round, symmetrical shape and clearly defined border, shown next to a ruler for size reference.

A common mole that is round with a distinct edge

Clinical photograph of a dysplastic nevus showing an irregular, blurred border with color that gradually fades into the surrounding skin.

A dysplastic nevus with an irregular edge and the color fading into the skin around it

Clinical photographs showing three common benign moles (labeled 1a, 1b, and 1c) that appear as smooth, evenly colored spots on the skin, each shown with a ruler for size reference.

Common moles that are smooth spots on the skin

Clinical photograph showing dysplastic nevi with characteristic scaly or pebbly surface textures

Dysplastic nevi with scaly or pebbly surfaces

Clinical photograph of a common benign mole measuring less than 5 millimeters (about 1/4 inch) in width, shown with a measurement ruler for size reference.
Back view of a person showing several small moles that are common benign moles, with an arrow pointing to one of them for reference.

A common mole is usually small. The first photo shows a common mole that is less than 5 millimeters (about 1/4 inch) wide. The second photo shows small moles on a person's back.

Clinical photograph of a large dysplastic nevus showing the characteristic features of an atypical mole, including irregular borders and uneven coloration.

Clinical photograph showing multiple large dysplastic nevi on a person's back, with the atypical moles circled for identification and reference.

Dysplastic nevi are often larger than 5 millimeters wide. The first photo shows a large dysplastic nevus. The second photo shows several large dysplastic nevi circled on a person's back.