In your lifetime, beauty marks have likely been seen as a sign of, well, beauty.
This is partially dictated by Hollywood’s elite.
Cindy Crawford, for example, is notorious for her iconic “blemish.”
Yet, even she considered having surgery to get rid of it.
These days, Crawford realizes that her well-placed spot helps her remain recognizable and unique.
It also helps other women with beauty marks to have an ally with which to identify.
It’s hard to even imagine Crawford without it.
But, just whatisa beauty mark anyway?
And why do people love them or hate them?
Here’s the unadulterated truth.
As such, the shape, color, and even texture can vary.
This naturally raises the question: Why are there two different names?
Who knew the social science behind moles could be so complicated?
Pigmented birthmarks simply mean your spots contain more color than other parts of your skin.
Moles, Mongolian spots, and cafe-au-lait spots are all considered types of pigmented birthmarks.
Vascular birthmarks, on the other hand, are formed when “extra blood vessels … clump together.”
Youcanbe born with one, or you might develop one at a later point in your life.
Simply put, if a person is born with a mole, it is then also considered a birthmark.
That’s right ladies, molesarebeautiful.
It was an uphill battle even for those who survived.
British Parliament wasn’t a fan of this tomfoolery, though.
Long live the mouches!
However, there is perhaps no stranger way than to declare your party affiliation via mole.
As you now know, the 18th century wasthetime for magnificent moles.
While a real mole’s shape is fixed, a mouche could be designed in a variety of styles.
According toBBC,stars, hearts, and half moons were all popular choices back in the day.
Before long, mouches made their way into politics.
Imagine the awkwardness of having arealbeauty mark during this period in history?
What a time to have been alive.
Samuel Pepys, who originally prohibited his wife from wearing one, had a change of heart.
She added, “But he obviously also found them sexy.”
Even by the mid-1800s, not everyone had opened their minds like Pepys.
Under Queen Victoria’s reign, beauty standards left little room for anything but smooth, white skin.
One of those famous faces was Marilyn Monroe.
Still, our work isn’t quite done yet.
Any moles or flaws are usually Photoshopped out to create the image of beauty."
He hopes one day “moles and other individual qualities” will be embraced.
Though, we doubt they’d be the only ones perplexed by the idea.
With smallpox being all but eradicated by the 19th century, the demand for mouches would eventually become nonexistent.
That’s not to say all faux beauty marks went out of style.
As stated earlier, Monroe’s trademark mole may not have been real.
She wouldn’t have been the only one to fake it, though.
“I like moles.
I think they’re the cutest thing.
It’s all Marilyn Monroe’s fault,” singerKelly RowlandtoldPeople.
For Rowland, it all began with putting a dot of black Duo lash glue on her face.
“It was the cutest stinking mole, and I was sold,” she admitted.
These days, Rowland doesn’t like to leave home without her trusty appliqued beauty mark.
She also doesn’t apply the spot in the same place.
She likes what she likes, okay?
And even if that new mole is fine today, that doesn’t mean it will be tomorrow.
Possiblyup tohalfof all melanomasstart as benign moles.
Beauty marks may very wellalwaysbe beautiful, but the truth behind them is often less glamorous.
