• Primary melanomas can occur even in dark-skinned people on the palms and soles, under the skin and in the membranes lining the mouth, rectum and anus. • White people with a large number of moles are at increased risk. Those with sporadic dysplastic nevi—unusual moles that under the microscope have features resembling melanoma—are probably not at increased risk of developing melanoma from those nevi. People with a strong family history, however (familial dysplastic nevus syndrome), have an increased tendency to develop melanoma.