Development and elimination of pigmented moles, and the anatomical distribution of primary malignant melanoma

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

In Sydney, Australia, the number of pigmented moles per person increases to age 15 in males and 20-29 in females, the most exposed parts of the body reaching peak values soonest. A decline then begins so that moles are almost absent in persons 80 years old. On each part of the body, depigmented spots and nevi with definite or faint halos are more common soon after the peak values have been reached. The delayed development of moles on sunlight-protected parts of the body may be related to the fact that in European pop ulations the frequency of malignant melanoma increases as the Equator is approached but many of the additional melanomas are found in anatomical sites minimally exposed to sunlight.