Questions About Dermatologist

[worrywart115]

Hello everyone! So, I had a yearly checkup at the dermatologist's office today. I originally wanted to go to get this tiny mole on my arm checked out (it's roughly 1 mm), but the dermatologist didn't seem too concerned about it, barely paid it any mind really, so I'm just going to ignore it for a while. However, he did remove one purple-ish mole on my other arm that I've had for years now. Now, the real question I have is a comment he made about a mole on my back. He looked at it and said that it was about 3 mm and a bit misshapen, but otherwise okay. He said that we should "watch" it and then sent me on my way. This is also a mole I've had for years (I'm 23 years old, if that makes a difference).

Is there any reason why he'd opt to remove one but not the other? Surely if there was anything seriously wrong, he'd want to remove it too, right? Is this something I should be watching around the clock? It sort of freaked me out a bit, as it's a bit bigger than my other moles, but if it's been there for years, then the likelihood of this being anything bad is smaller, right? My original thought is that, since he's not the same derm that saw me last year, that maybe it's just a procedural thing. I mean, I guess there'd be no way for him to know what it looked like before, and my mother swears I've had it for years now. He also said to come back in a year, so I guess it's not urgent, but geez. I don't know why small comments like that bother me so much, but I figured I'd post about it rather than stew on it all night. Thanks to anyone who reads this in advance :)

[worriermama]

I'm currently going through a skin freakout (going in tomorrow for an excision on a mole that was biopsied and came back benign but "severely atypical," also getting another one removed for biopsy).

I'm half Irish, covered in weird freckles and plenty of moles too. You do not need to be worried about the dermatologist's comment. Just check the mole every couple months to make sure it isn't getting bigger or changing color, etc. I've had a total of six moles removed and biopsied since my early twenties. Tomorrow it'll be seven.

Try not to worry, your derm is just doing routine preventative care. You have absolutely nothing to be concerned about IMO.

[worrywart115]

I'm currently going through a skin freakout (going in tomorrow for an excision on a mole that was biopsied and came back benign but "severely atypical," also getting another one removed for biopsy).

I'm half Irish, covered in weird freckles and plenty of moles too. You do not need to be worried about the dermatologist's comment. Just check the mole every couple months to make sure it isn't getting bigger or changing color, etc. I've had a total of six moles removed and biopsied since my early twenties. Tomorrow it'll be seven.

Try not to worry, your derm is just doing routine preventative care. You have absolutely nothing to be concerned about IMO.

Thank you so much for the reply! Yeah, I'm trying not to give it too much thought. It does look a bit odd in shape, and a small part of me feels like maybe I should've asked him to take it out, but it's not like the mole is new or changed or anything. He just happened to notice it and it's been there for a few years now. I guess I'll just have to wait (a hypochondriac's worst nightmare, for sure) and see if anything changes. It hasn't ever changed to my knowledge, so fingers crossed that it never does.

I hope your moles turn out okay as well. The waiting is just the worst, but your track record seems to be good :)