Iggy Azalea misses her moles. In a recent oddball tweet, the 29-year-old rapper, songwriter, and model — who grew up in sun-soaked Australia — shared her regrets over her losing her belly moles:
Read MoreI cut the moles off my tummy Incase they were cancerous.
And turns out, they weren't –
I'm still deeply moderately kind of sad about it.
This happened in 2018.
Thankyou for listening to my complaint.
Now that I've shared I hope I can move on finally.IGGY AZALEA #LOLA???? (@IGGYAZALEA) March 8, 2020
Azalea is famously fond of her moles, especially the one on the lower left part of her face. Fans love it, too — and admire the pride she takes in her moles.
First thing man notices is Iggy Azalea mole, WTF.
M???? (@MMlaflame) May 21, 2014
Hey! I Like Those Things!!
After her 2014 appearance on “Saturday Night Live,” Azalea complained that the show had photoshopped her moles out of their promotional photos.
“I loved the promo pictures but I wish they hadn't photoshopped all my moles off my face (hey, I like those things!!)," Azalea wrote on Instagram after her SNL performance.
Dr. Anna Pavlick, an oncologist at NYU’s Perlmutter notes that people who are covered with moles stand a higher risk of developing skin cancer.
Are “Moley” People at Higher Risk of Skin Cancer?
Do moles increase your risk of skin cancer? As Dr. Anna Pavlick mentions in the video (above) that people with dysplastic nevis syndrome — which is characterized by a high number of moles that are atypical in shape — are at higher risk.
Atypical moles are those that are unusual-looking and, when seen under a microscope, they have irregular features. Although usually benign, a high number of atypical moles do signal an increased risk for melanoma, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation which says people with 10 or more atypical moles have 12 times higher risk of developing melanoma.
Dr. Cecila Larocca on the ABCDEs of checking moles for signs of skin cancer.
Get Your Moles Evaluated to Rule Out Melanoma
As the deadliest form of skin cancer, melanoma, a cancer of the pigment-producing cells, is critical to rule out. Dr. Cecelia Larocca, a dermatologist at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, recommends implementing the ABCDE rule to determine if a mole requires further examination.
The ABCDE rule:
- A: Asymmetry of the mole, or when one half of the mole doesn't match the other
- B: Border irregularity or Bleeding
- C: Color change either lightening or darkening of a mole
- D: Diameter greater than 6mm or enlarging moles
- E: Evolving size, shape or color.
Of course, if you're unsure, it's always better to have a mole checked out to ensure early detection.
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Choose The Right Sunscreen
Many people slather on sunscreen every day, but if you're not choosing the right type or not using enough, it may not be working. Dr. Larocca recommends you use no less than SPF 30
and reapply it every two hours. Your sunscreen should also be broad-spectrum, says Dr. Larocca, meaning it covers both UVB and UVA rays.
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