total panic-skin cancer fears

[christy67]

:ohmy:I'm completely freaking out. I fit the criteria for high risk when it comes to skin cancer. Recently I developed this round red spot on my leg. It looks like a sore in the late stages of healing, like when the scab falls off and there is a red spot there, but it wont go away! It's been about three weeks and it won't get better. I've tried all kind of ointments. Can't get into derm for another two weeks. I'm in total panic mode thinking the worst. I'm refusing to google. Anyone else experience this? Any support would help!

[Gary A]

Could be a lot of different things, and doesn't really sound typical of melenoma, which is usually dark brown or black in colour. It's hard to say with only a description, but I don't think you should be worrying about cancer at this point. 3 weeks is a reletavely short period of time, and it could be some kind of boil or cyst that really wouldn't heal with ointments and such.

I would certainly get it checked out, but I really wouldn't worry to the point of panic, it doesn't sound suspicious and literally could be dozens of different, benign, skin conditions.

[christy67]

Thank you Gary, you talked me off the edge tonight.