Concerned about mole

[mum-of-4]

Hi everyone

I've had a mole on my tummy ever since I can remember. It's fairly large (just a bit smaller than the end of a pencil). It's flat but has a raised part in the middle. It hasn't changed at all recently but it feels different to the rest of my skin when I touch it. Also it can have a prickling sensation sometimes. I'm not sure if it feels sensitive cos I keep touching it. I have had it looked at by a dermatologist about 10 months ago who said it looked fine but now I am getting worked up about it. I can't get it checked out for another 4 weeks as I am away from home.

Does anyone else get different sensations in their moles. I am working myself into a frenzy knowing that I can't see my dr for a month. I am also wondering if the fact that I am focusing on it so much is making it feel worse.

Please help :-(

Thank you xx

[Cali54321]

Hi there,

I haven't been on in awhile but I am also a huge mole/skin cancer freak. If it hasn't changed and your touching it a lot it's probably feeling weird because of that.

The good thing I have learned about skin cancer is that it doesn't just happen over night so if it's not changing on a weekly or monthly basis you are fine BUT if your like me please do go get it checked so you can have the peace of mind. You have to let a mole go for quite a bit of time before you are in serious trouble. I cant believe the stories about people with really noticeable bad changes who just shrug it off! I'm glad I'm vigilant, so are you, you will be fine :)

You should discuss maybe removing it so you don't have to monitor it anymore, thats what I'm going to do with one of my larger moles...

[looking4answers]

I have what they call seborrehic kerratosis something like a mole on the side of my head that tingles and feels the way you describe all the time,and its not cancerous. just a skin thing ,harmless

[worried91]

This is my main worry at the moment too. There was a specific mole that I was worried about that the doctor has given a clean bill of health.

I'm still worried about this despite not being worried about any specific mole. I see tiny moles that I've very probably always had and they've never changed but never noticed and focus on them and wonder if they'll ever grow.

The good news is that skin cancer almost always takes years to develop and thus can usually be caught early if you get checked up every so often. It has an excellent prognosis if caught early enough.

Don't worry about how it feels, moles do feel slightly different to normal skin and it isn't a sign of anything worse. You're just noticing it more because of anxiety.

Isn't it strange how I can be so logical and level headed with someone elses problem...

edit: also: I agree with Cali above. Try to see your vigilance as a good thing. I'd rather be paranoid and vigilant than have late stage melanoma...

[looking4answers]

God,what if you guys were 56 and have kerratosis spots all over your forehead and little brown circles all over including your legs and arms. I have no idea what they are other than age spots..whatever that is lol

[mum-of-4]

Hi - thank you so much for your replies. They have calmed me massively!

So if a mole is cancerous, I would definately see changes in it? So do you think it's safe to assume that if it hasn't changed at all then it's ok and is fine to get it checked out when I get home in a month?

I think I'll definately have it removed so that I don't spend the rest of my life obsessing about it!

Thanks again for your kind words. I truely appreciate it!

Fran xxxx

[nanny]

You would definitly see changes in a mole if it were bad, I have one on the side of my head that has grown (under my hair) went to docs who checked it out and all's ok, So please don't panic.