Skin cancer obsession

[tmckenzie-orr]

I have a dark brown butterfly shaped freckle /mole on my shoulder its only tiny maybe it's not oval shaped or round and it doesn't have a smooth edge, I have been obsessing about it for about 1/2 months, looking at it everyday and it's most definitely my main focus ATM for my health anxiety, I went to the doctor and she looked at it with a light thing that put in the ear and the rest of my moles she said it is funny shape but it's ok, shes not concerned at all the pigmentation is fine , but I'm still obsessing and am petrified, I got my 2 week check at doctors tomorrow with another doctor so will show him see what he says I'm so scared that it cud be cancer , grrrr hate health anxiety if Google didn't say normal moles shud be round or oral and have straight edges I wouldn't be worried

[Gary A]

Google only shows what you ask for. I'll bet you asked to see examples and descriptions of cancerous moles. With that being the case, Google will tell you that cancerous moles are irregular.

What Google won't tell you, is that absolutely harmless moles can be irregular also. You say your mole is "tiny", well what does Google say about that? You also mention the pigment is normal. Again, what does Google say about that?

Cancerous moles are almost always bigger than 6mm diameter, the width of a pencil eraser. They're also almost always differing colours of dark brown/red/black. They also tend to grow quite rapidly, bleed, itch and crust up. Your mole, by the sounds of it, is doing none of this.

Of course, even if your mole was doing all of these things, it STILL wouldn't necessarily be cancer, it could still be a perfectly benign mole.

Get it checked again to reassure yourself, but I really think you're obsessing over absolutely nothing here. Oh, and of course, stop googling cancerous moles, you are simply feeding your anxiety. Anxiety thrives on that type of fuel, stop feeding it.

[tmckenzie-orr]

Thank you that definately helped, It is completly flat just feels like its normal skin, doesnt itch nothing, I just am stupidly scared just because of it not being symetrical and having a ragged edge its definately a hell of a lot smaller than a pencil rubber probs half the side of one just looks like a dark freckle , because i am quite pale skin and its the darkest one i have on my body it freaks me out i just worry incase the doctor i show on friday says its concerning and that other doctor was wrong i hate these thoughts :(

[Gary A]

The only reason they'd say a mole that size was concerning would be because it may have the potential to turn cancerous in future. It would then be removed to prevent that risk, which is pretty standard practice. If it were cancerous it would be bigger, it would also be changing rapidly. It isn't, so as I said at the minute they may weigh up potential future risk and decide to remove it. I don't even think they'll do that, in all honesty.

[tmckenzie-orr]

thank you gary i just worry that doctor might be wrong but then need to think she is a trained professional and the way she told me to take my top off and check rest of my body means she must know what she looking for i hope fridays re-assurance will help me