Fear of melanoma

[Kiko22]

Hi! I was doing fine for months and now back at it again.
I never thought about melanoma and never checked my moles... I have pretty tan skin and black hair and eyes... I have very little moles. I've had this particular big mole on my left hip... Not so big in diameter but really elevated... I never gave it a second look, it was always there... 4 days ago I looked at it maybe for the first time in my life and it seems so ugly... I don't know how to explain it... I started to move it around to look better and now it hurts like crazy but I can't help myself and I continue to touch it! I took an appointment with a dermatologist but I'm utterly convinced it is cancer this time... Is there someone who knows about moles and can reassure me? Thanks!

[BlueIris]

If it's always been there and it hasn't changed it's not melanoma.

[Kiko22]

Problem is I don't know if it has changed... Never really looked at it😔

[ErinKC]

Problem is I don't know if it has changed... Never really looked at it😔

All the things you say in your first post point to the fact that you're not in a high risk group for melanoma. Also, even if you were, melanoma is way more rare than we give it credit for. Almost certainly you've always had this mole and just suddenly your health anxiety made you see it in a different way. I have SO many moles - way more than 50, which is the threshold for being "higher risk" for skin cancer. Every now and then my mind will play tricks on me and I'll notice once I've had for ages and get worried. So, I get you.

But, there is very, very, very little chance anything is wrong with this mole. I started to see a dermatologist annually for a full skin check and it helps me to not worry about my skin throughout the year. If something truly new pops up I'll go in to see the nurse practitioner, maybe once a year or so. But, since establishing the regular checks it generally keeps my mind at ease.

[Kiko22]

Hi! I never checked my moles because I never feared melanoma... I'm phototype four (my grand grandfather was black) and I have 15 moles in all my body... I never sunbathe I always stay away from the sun and my skin never burns... This mole I have was always there... It is perfectly symmetrical and has one color (light brown) it was always elevated... Problem is I don't remember if it was So elevated before😱😱

[BlueIris]

However, what you do know is that you suffer from health anxiety. What does this tell you?

[Kiko22]

That maybe I'm just obsessing over it... I know😅my rational part says it too

[BlueIris]

There you go

[mama_of_3]

Nothing about the way you described this mole sounds like melanoma whatsoever.

[Kiko22]

Ok... So I found a photo of me when I was 12 (so 12 years ago) and I was at the beach and the mole was visible and it was way SMALLER back then😱 don't know what to think now, I'm really scared... I was just a kid back then so is it possible that it just kept growing with me?