Have you ever noticed a dark, long hair sprouting from a mole and wondered why it seems to grow there with such determination? It can feel surprising, even a little strange, to see a hair emerging from a spot we often associate with skin growths. Rest assured, this is an incredibly common and almost always harmless occurrence. In fact, the presence of a hair is often a sign of a healthy, non-cancerous mole.
So, what’s really going on beneath the surface? The answer lies in the very nature of what a mole is and how our hair follicles are distributed across our entire body.
The Link Between Moles and Hair Follicles
A mole, medically known as a nevus, is simply a cluster of pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. These cells give the mole its distinctive color. Our skin is covered with millions of hair follicles, which are tiny organs responsible for growing hair. When a mole forms, it develops around these pre-existing follicles. The mole doesn’t create new follicles; it simply grows around the ones that are already there.
Because the hair follicle is still intact and healthy, it continues to do its job—growing hair. The hair shaft then pushes its way up through the cluster of cells, appearing to grow directly out of the mole. It’s a perfect example of two normal skin structures coexisting.
Is a Hairy Mole a Healthy Mole?
You might have heard the old saying that a hairy mole is a healthy mole. While this isn’t a hard and fast medical rule, it often holds true. The presence of a hair indicates that the hair follicle is functioning normally. For a follicle to be active, the surrounding skin tissue needs to be relatively healthy and stable. Many dermatologists note that it’s quite rare to find a cancerous mole with a hair growing from it, as the cellular chaos in a cancerous growth often disrupts the follicle’s ability to produce hair.
What to Do About a Hair Growing from a Mole
If you have a hair growing from a mole, it’s perfectly safe to remove it. The safest and most recommended method is to gently clip it with a small pair of scissors. You can also carefully pluck it with clean tweezers, though repeated plucking can sometimes cause minor irritation or inflammation. Shaving over the mole is another option. Contrary to a common myth, cutting or plucking the hair will not cause the mole to become cancerous.
The key thing to watch for isn’t the hair itself, but any changes in the mole. If the mole changes in size, shape, or color, or if it starts to itch, bleed, or become painful, it’s a good idea to have it checked by a doctor.
In the vast majority of cases, a hair growing from a mole is just a normal part of having skin. It’s a simple reminder of the complex and active ecosystem that exists right on our bodies, where different structures routinely work side-by-side.