question about moles and skin cancer

[bexy84]

I have a mole at the back of my knee and it looks ok, but I get dry peely skin at the back of my knees and sometimes obviously it goes where the mole is....... When all the skin flakes off sometimes my mole looks like it has gone lighter like the top layer of skin has come off, my question is would I still be able to tell if my mole went bad? Even though I get dry skin?? I am worried a melenoma would not show through dry skin? Thanks

[Worried_Male]

When checking a mole just use the 'ABCD' formula.

A – Asymmetry, a mole shouldn’t differ from one side to the other.
B – Border, the edges of the mole shouldn’t be blurred or jagged.
C – Colour, look out for any changes in colour or patchy shades.
D – Diameter, check to see if a mole increases in size or if it is larger than 6mm across.

Also check to see if a mole reddens itches, crusts or bleeds and if you spot any of these changes, make an appointment and see your GP.

[bexy84]

But would the dry skin of ezcma discuise a melenoma?? I don't want to scratch away a melenoma!!! Could I just scratch off a melenoma or would it not just come off? I am worried!

[Worried_Male]

But would the dry skin of ezcma discuise a melenoma?? I don't want to scratch away a melenoma!!! Could I just scratch off a melenoma or would it not just come off? I am worried!

No i very much doubt ezcma would disguise Melanoma and you wouldn't be able to just 'scratch it off'. If you tried it would just bleed and puss all over the place.

[Aussie11]

As I'm Australian and have had lots of sun in my life and have lots of moles I have several checked and couple removed. The last dermatologist I went to said when a mole is a melanoma it will change (in one of the ways as per earlier persons post) very quickly, like in a couple of weeks. It's worth having yearly check of your moles just with your GP anyway, but from what you've described it doesn't sound like anything nasty.

[Worried_Male]

As I'm Australian and have had lots of sun in my life and have lots of moles I have several checked and couple removed. The last dermatologist I went to said when a mole is a melanoma it will change (in one of the ways as per earlier persons post) very quickly, like in a couple of weeks. It's worth having yearly check of your moles just with your GP anyway, but from what you've described it doesn't sound like anything nasty.

Did you know there are more cases of Melanoma in the UK then in Australia? That's shocking when you consider we have no sun here 11 months of the year.