really worried about a mole..

[hc91]

I have what looks like a mole on my bum, which is fairly small, but its really worrying because it is a few different colours - it looks red/black, and is slightly raised. I noticed it in the shower in november, when I went to the doctor she just said "has it changed?" and no it hasnt since I first noticed it, so she just told me to monitor it.
I'm so worried because everything I have read on the internet points to serious skin cancer. I have never used a sunbed in my life, I don't even enjoy sunbathing really when I'm abroad - I've never really been very badly sunburned, I tend to tan more than I burn.
I really don't know what to do, I'm so scared.

[Tink]

Hello

I have a mole on my back that concerns me but my doc took one look at it and said it was fine but I am obssessed with it getting bigger and changing and it looks like 2 different colours and is raised also. My doc reffered me to a dermatologist and they checked it and said pigmentation is fine. They said to me that it will really itch and be sore.

If you are really worried go back and ask your doc to refer you too for peace of mind xxx

[DontLikeWorrying]

Try not to worry -- luckily, moles are easily treatable if they do go bad. I am absolutely covered in moles and had a couple I was worried about, so I had them checked out a couple weeks ago at a free cancer-screening event. The doctor said you really only have to worry if it's black/blue, changes shape, or you get flaking and itching or even bleeding that won't go away. Both my parents have recently had skin cancers removed after they noticed skin flaking and discoloration (basal cell, not melanoma -- they spent a lot of time in the sun in their lives) and are just fine.

If you're really worried, see if you can have a dermatologist check things out. It's OK if you have to wait a few weeks for an appointment -- as long as it's not growing hugely or something, you're probably just fine. :)

[PoppyC]

Hi
I had a mole on my chest, and it had what I thought were all the signs of it being malignant. I went to the doctors and he said it was fine, however I asked him if it could be removed, which he agreed to, and I had it removed in the surgery at a later date, and it didn't hurt at all and only took about a minute.
If your mole worries you, maybe you could ask for it to be removed?
You did the right thing in getting it checked and I am glad its all ok.

[jessieblue]

Things to look for are
1 Symmetry, is the mole fairly even on one side and the other?
2 Size, is it greater than 6mm in diameter, you could measure it and monitor the change in size.
3. Colour, are there verying colours, from pale brown to very very black within the mole
4. Edges,are the edges of the mole smooth or raggerd. Do they kind of bleed into the surrounding skin?

You can have these signs and still not have cancer, but these are the type of moles to watch for changes in. Changes to look for like itching, growing in size bleeding.

If the doctor looked at it and wasn't worried and it hasn't changes I don't think you need worry at all. If you are worried they can take it off for you.

[mabelina]

I went to my gp last week about a mole behind my ear. It started off as a spot a year ago and now its raised, crusty and has black dots in it. My gp is a skin specialist and had a good look and said everything was fine. Im still not convinced though:shrug:

[Tink]

I meant to mention too in my post earlier that my mum had a form of skin cancer on her face. It looked like a cold sore, was all scabby, quite large, bled, itched alot. She had it checked it and removed and no problems. She is also always out in the sun as her and my dad walk alot at wkends.

There has been alot on news last wk about moles etc as think people will use sun beds more and one girl who had skin cancer said her mole went very scabby, bleeding alot and itched.

[mummyto4]

There are various different types of skin cancer, melanoma being the most serious, but even then, once cut out and skin around it there is no reason why anyone shouldn't live a normal life. Tink it sounds to me like your mum had a condition called solar keratosis, which is pre cancerous cells. It does come from the sun and using sunbeds, I am also a victim of this! I have 2 moles on my whole body but it was not related to either of these. I had mine removed with liquid nitrogen and was kept an eye on for 12 months. It isn't life threatening but it is a sort of warning. I haven't been on a sunbed for years and never would again and would give the same advice to anyone else! I see all these young girls now looking tanned and it does look healthy and nice but in years to come a lot of them could also have a problem. My plastic surgeon told me as much. Skin cancer conditions are on the up! I would advise anyone that uses sunbeds or sun worshippers find a good fake tan! is worth it in the long run!
I would also advise anyone to get any moles checked regularly as a normal part of health routine but definitely not to stress to much about it.

[Tink]

Neither was my mums to do with a mole, cold sore looking thing just appeared on her face. My mum has never used a sunbed just out walking all time and only really puts sunlotion on once in morning due to doesn't burn if out walking. So people who are out in it all time and using sunbeds are very at risk. I def agree with fake tan, the moisturers with tanning in it work a treat!

[mummyto4]

Tink, I am as brown as any person that uses a sunbed. It took me a long time to find the perfect tan by using creams but I have done it. Having a tan does look healthy and glowing but sunbeds and too much sun are not the answer! I loved using the sunbed and having a tan but this can be achieved without any health risk. I do still sit in the sun for a short time BUT I wear the highest factor I can get my hands on and a big big hat! I also wear factor 15 on my face even in the winter.

[robelros]

i can absolutely feel your pain, HC - i really really really frequently worry about my moles. it can be very worrisome when you read all these things on the internet about people with melanoma. it really is the scariest thing to me. i go to a good skin doctor who gives me the reassurance i need and i definitely feel better afterwards. i highly suggest just going back and having her remove it - tell her it will make you feel better, otherwise you're going to spend too much time worrying about it. i did that once with my doctor and it was fine. in fact, i just found a mole near the side of my butt , almost upper thigh on the side, this morning in the shower and nearly had a heart attack b/c it looks suspsicous and i never noticed it before. i am calling my doctor to get in today!