Scratch/scab on freckle/mole? Worried

My health anxiety’s been so good for so long, but being at home all the time with my worries has made it worse again. This time the focus is on a tiny mole/freckle I’ve had for at least a few years (I’m 19). It’s on my upper arm, just above my elbow and is only about 1/2mm in diameter, it’s a light brown colour, lighter than most of my freckles but i do have a few this shade, although they are mostly flat, whereas this one has always been slightly raised, like a few of the darker ones I have. A few days ago I noticed it felt a bit more raised, not sure if it actually did or I just hadn’t paid attention to it for a while, nonetheless it prompted me to start running my finger over it a lot, like just as I was doing other stuff so it wasn’t even a conscious thing. This i believe made it slightly more raised and also the skin around it went red, but it wasn’t red anymore the next morning. However this next day I noticed some darker brown on it, which I’m sure wasn’t there before, some pigmented dots in a line down the middle. Now, two days later i believe this to be a scab, as the freckle in general feels quite rough to touch. It looks like a tiny thin scratch that has scabbed over but it’s got me very worried as I don’t remember scratching it or seeing it bleed. Other than that the mole doesn’t look sinister, the border is quite regular and it has a long hair growing from it. About two years ago I remember the skin being dry/scabbed over the mole, but I had a general patch of dry skin in that area which i attributed it too. I am however very worried about this as I can’t think of an explaination for it, and usually scabbing/crusting means if it was melanoma it would be in a late stage, which makes me worry this has been going on since the dry skin two years ago. I’m not sure whether to phone my doctor, I doubt they’re doing mole evaluations just now due to covid, and will probably dismiss mine anyway because of my age, but I won’t be relieved unless I have a doctor see it. I’m not sure what to do and I’m really worried, any experience/insight/reassurance would be greatly welcomed

I have a follow up question I’m also hoping for some insight into. I’ve also just remembered that a year ago I had a problem with a red mole like thing under my sideburn hairs, which scabbed over and then the scab picked off, I was advised by people on here to see a gp but I then went through a breakup and it really wasn’t on my mind anymore, as the scab came off and it never bothered me again, which this particular leision has done a few time’s over the years. However I’m worried about it again now, and have convinced myself that I left it so long it’s now spread through my whole body and I’m going to be told I have months to live. If it was melanoma, it would’ve continued to scab over and over right ? I’ll link a photo of it last year with the scab, and a photo from now, any insight would be greatly appreciated as I’m making myself ill with worry over these two moles now.
last year : https://ibb.co/njfZt62
today : https://ibb.co/Gs0S1pY

I’ll add that my mum has all sorts of similar things on her skin, so I probably get this all from her, but i’m still terrified i’m doomed because I didn’t see a doctor about this. I’ll phone my gp tomorrow I think but I’m sure they won’t do anything, and even if they do I still will have weeks of this torture waiting, so please any insight would be amazing

update: phoned my gp and she had me send her photos of the moles, she said she looked over them with a colleague and they looked fine, but i’m not convinced as it just sounded like she wanted me off the phone and didn’t give much explaination for why they are scanned or anything. she just said they look symmetrical and to tell her if anything else changes, but i think she just couldn’t be bothered listening to me so i’m still worried

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Originally Posted by caitlinn

update: phoned my gp and she had me send her photos of the moles, she said she looked over them with a colleague and they looked fine, but i’m not convinced as it just sounded like she wanted me off the phone and didn’t give much explaination for why they are scanned or anything. she just said they look symmetrical and to tell her if anything else changes, but i think she just couldn’t be bothered listening to me so i’m still worried

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You need to listen to what you're GP is saying and as for getting you off the phone maybe as they have more phone appointments not because they couldn't be bothered.

They have a duty of care I'm sure it wasn't because she wasn't interested in you, you need to stop analysing every mole or freckle you will drive yourself mad please concentrate on something else like some exercising or music anything to take your mind off this.

best wishes xx

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Originally Posted by MRS STRESS ED

You need to listen to what you're GP is saying and as for getting you off the phone maybe as they have more phone appointments not because they couldn't be bothered.

They have a duty of care I'm sure it wasn't because she wasn't interested in you, you need to stop analysing every mole or freckle you will drive yourself mad please concentrate on something else like some exercising or music anything to take your mind off this.

best wishes xx

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thanks for your reply, I know I should listen to the GP but you hear so many stories of people who end up dying of melanoma because their GP said it was fine when it wasn’t so I’m scared. I don’t know how she could possibly know it was fine from a photo which wasn’t even very good quality and I just keep seeing people who said they had a tiny scab on their mole only to discover they had melanoma so I really don’t know what to do. I can’t ask for a dermatologist referral because that would just annoy them especially with the pandemic. Sorry for the rant i’m just very scared

I looked on the british association of dermatologist’s website’s covid guidance and it says that suspected melanoma should be triaged with a photo taken by a gp with a dermascope or medical photographer, and that a patient’s own photo isn’t good enough so now i’m panicked even more, i’m just at a loss for what to do I can’t accept what the gp has said but i can’t see a dermatologist for it just now either !!

l totally understand your worry l had a raised mole myself it changed l had it checked and it was nothing to worry about,

If you are that worried surely you must have a drop in centre where you live get it looked at but honestly try not to keep worrying xx


best wishes xx

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Originally Posted by MRS STRESS ED

l totally understand your worry l had a raised mole myself it changed l had it checked and it was nothing to worry about,

If you are that worried surely you must have a drop in centre where you live get it looked at but honestly try not to keep worrying xx


best wishes xx

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thats reassuring to hear your mole was ok ! i haven’t heard of any drop in centres around here, and even if we had any i don’t tbink they’re open just now as everything is online unless it’s absolutely urgent, which obviously my gp didn’t think mine was