New Mole on Toe Worry

[aloy-]

Hello,
First, I should start by saying I’ve been checking out this site frequently to calm myself whenever health anxiety kicks in. Everyone posting their experiences has done a lot to help me and calm me down, and I am very thankful for those who go out of their way to help. It’s truly a blessing.

I’ve had OCD for a while, but my health anxiety has been off the charts lately. Recently, my newest fear is melanoma. I’m very pale, and my family is naturally moley, so I’ve had many my entire life. Last month, I had a dark, skewed mole removed from my groin (I believe it was 5mm in length?) , and it was just atypical, as a few of mine are.

However, I noticed a pretty dark dot on my third toe on the 26th. I believe it is new, but for some reason I also feel like I remember noticing it last month, when my mind was distracted by the groin mole.

I have a full body mole mapping on the 22nd, and intend to wait until then to mention it (and ideally, just punch it out for some peace of mind,) but it’s giving me so much anxiety. It’s barely a pinprick, so I think I may have just missed it due to the odd location, but reading about foot melanoma survival (more specifically, ALM) sends me in a panic.

I’m 20, so I suppose I’m still at the age where new spots are normal, but is a new mole as dark as this one something that others have experienced? The pic attached is about a 5x zoom. I’m not sure if it’s even considered a mole when it’s that small. I also have a couple moles that are dark, so is that a good sign?

[Halle0587]

New spots can come all the time. I'm 30 and still get new spots, not all bad looking, just new. My advice would be to measure it, and keep the picture on your phone. Take a new picture and measure it in a week. No change, go another week, yes change- call the dermatologist to get a spot check. They don't mind, they'd rather put your fears at ease. I'm a pale Florida girl. I go every six months bc of family history. I often find little spots that I don't recall seeing and I just pay a copay and go. Sometimes it's nothing to concern myself with, sometimes she takes it off and it's nothing, and twice it was a displastic nevi. Tomorrow is the 10th, your appointment is less than two weeks away. Keep watch, but don't let the fear control you. I say this as I await my own appointment tomorrow for a brown line on my toe nail. WE can do this. You're in good company here. Also, I'm new to the site-about a week or so in, I just found the CBTs and I did a few they truly help.

[aloy-]

Thank you very much for your reply! It looks the same as it did when I first took a picture on the 27th, so I don’t expect it to change much in the time it takes for the mapping. The fear that it could be something bad is frustrating, as I keep telling myself that with how small it is, it would have to be very early stages. I shouldn’t even be thinking that way, but... good old anxiety hahah. It is comforting to read your experience with new moles and advice. Thank you again, and I’ll have to check out the CBTs as well! Sending all of the best wishes your way for your appointment tomorrow: waiting for it to come around always seems to kick the panic up again. Hope all is well ♥️

[aloy-]

Today, I decided to check up on it. I’ve checked in different lighting throughout the house, and it’s looking lighter to me. Still noticeable, but a lighter brown compared to the dark brown it was.

Is this something I should be alarmed about? I’ve seen some say lightening is the opposite of what it’d do if it was melanoma, but I’ve also heard the lesion can fade, but melanoma still be present? It seems strange it’d lighten in that time. Based on the last picture I took, it seems to be at least a shade lighter compared to this past Friday, the second.

Added pictures for a second eye. First is from Jan 10, second from Feb 2, and third from today, Feb 7

Really, it could be different lighting making it look faded, but as of checking again it still looks lighter.

[funnygirl98]

That doesn’t look harmful to me. I have one similar on my toe and it hasn’t grown or anything so I don’t worry about it. You probably have one of the most benign moles I’ve ever seen. And don’t worry about it getting lighter. It’s normal for moles to get lighter as you get a little bit older. They can disappear usually. It’s only if it gets darker where I would be a little worried. If your still worrying about it. Check out this app called SkinVision. You can take a picture of your mole and it gives you a dermoscopic picture. Take it again next week or next month even and take it again. If it hasn’t changed. Then don’t worry about it.