Few moles, less chance of skin cancer?

Birthmarks are linked to skin cancer, but new research shows that having few moles doesn't necessarily mean you have a lower risk.

Harvard University studied 566 people with skin cancer. It was counted how many moles they had and whether the moles have a different shape.

The findings

• 66 percent of the patients studied had less than 20 moles.
• Of those older than 60, only 19 percent had more than 20 moles.
• Almost three quarters of the patients had no abnormally shaped moles.

The researchers emphasize that moles are a risk factor for skin cancer. People with abnormal moles were more often diagnosed with a more severe diagnosis. Another important message is that few moles does not mean that you should not be checked for skin cancer.