lo89
18-10-12, 18:55
I appear to be getting over my lymphoma worry (thank goodness!) but my skin cancer worry is back with a vengeance!
I have got a large (2cm) mole on my scalp which obviously I cannot really monitor myself due to it being under my hair, and I have been really freaked out by it all my life. As far as I can tell it has never really changed, it has always had a white centre (the white bit is about 1cm so also quite large) so it is definitely atypical. It causes me to feel uncomfortable when anyone touches my head or hair, even my boyfriend, and taking me to a hairdressers is like taking a dog to the vets, I am petrified, I literally sit with my shoulders hunched right up my ears and my teeth clenched for the entire time.
My phobia about my mole means that I am scared to have anyone move my hair to look at it as I imagine pain even though there is no pain.
I recently managed to pluck up the courage to speak to my gp about it, and he was excellent, managed to look at my mole without touching it and offered me a referral to a dermatologist, even though he "was not worried and would not get it removed if it was on him unless it became worrisome".
The process in my area for dermatologist referrals is that you get a photograph taken by a medical illustrator, who forwards your details to a dermatologist to prioritise your appointment.
I had my appointment on the 3rd of September to get my images taken, and I am still waiting to hear about my appointment. I called up to track it and they said the dermatologist has seen the images and marked it as non urgent and I should hear within 12 weeks.
My question is this- has anyone been to see a dermatologist about a mole? Has anyone had q mole removed? What happens next? And is the fact that it is marked non urgent a good indicator that I should stop worrying?
I have got a large (2cm) mole on my scalp which obviously I cannot really monitor myself due to it being under my hair, and I have been really freaked out by it all my life. As far as I can tell it has never really changed, it has always had a white centre (the white bit is about 1cm so also quite large) so it is definitely atypical. It causes me to feel uncomfortable when anyone touches my head or hair, even my boyfriend, and taking me to a hairdressers is like taking a dog to the vets, I am petrified, I literally sit with my shoulders hunched right up my ears and my teeth clenched for the entire time.
My phobia about my mole means that I am scared to have anyone move my hair to look at it as I imagine pain even though there is no pain.
I recently managed to pluck up the courage to speak to my gp about it, and he was excellent, managed to look at my mole without touching it and offered me a referral to a dermatologist, even though he "was not worried and would not get it removed if it was on him unless it became worrisome".
The process in my area for dermatologist referrals is that you get a photograph taken by a medical illustrator, who forwards your details to a dermatologist to prioritise your appointment.
I had my appointment on the 3rd of September to get my images taken, and I am still waiting to hear about my appointment. I called up to track it and they said the dermatologist has seen the images and marked it as non urgent and I should hear within 12 weeks.
My question is this- has anyone been to see a dermatologist about a mole? Has anyone had q mole removed? What happens next? And is the fact that it is marked non urgent a good indicator that I should stop worrying?