Genuinely convinced I have melanoma

[alwaysanxious25]

Hi everyone! Been beside myself for a few days so just feel like I need to do a little post on here.

I genuinely have convinced myself I have melanoma. I have a mole on my arm which I have had since childhood/as long as I can remember. Recently, it started getting flaky and crusty, and it’s worse when I shower, I can just peel parts of it off and the crusty bit is black.
Obviously when I noticed this it sent me into meltdown. I have no other signs of change in my mole but the crusting alone is enough to freak me out. I have been reading about ulcerated moles and I’m pretty sure my one is ulcerated, and that’s apparently a dangerous sign of melanoma.

I’m only 22 and i’ve never even had one sunburn in my life. I hate the sun, always have. My mum used to slap me in factor 50 sun cream when I was a child and I still put it on now whenever it’s even slightly warm outside.
No family history of cancer either. Due to this reason and the fact I have had a small amount of sun exposure in my whole 22 years, i’d be so shocked if it turns out to be melanoma. But i’m also so convinced that it is.

I’ve paid for a private dermatologist because I just cannot bare with the long wait through the NHS. I spoke to my GP yesterday and showed her an image of the mole. She said she couldn’t see how it looked cracked but it’s SO obvious! and bits of it had flaked off!!! She then said she will show the derm at the GP practice and call me back in a week with what the derm had to say. Obviously, with health anxiety a week feels like way too long of a wait, so I have a private consultation tomorrow.

Has anyone else ever experienced mole changes from moles they have had since childhood? Any flaking/crusting of a mole? It’s just horrible this feeling.

https://imgur.com/a/a0g9BsX here is an image of the mole


Thank you

[PennyP123]

I had a horrible ugly mole on my face that started bleeding when I was just a little older than you. Like you, it was a mole I had from childhood. Long story short...it was benign..and completely removed. I think you're doing the right thing to get it looked at ASAP...but just know that all things that crust, flake or bleed aren't necessarily bad. Hugs and keep us posted.

[alwaysanxious25]

Thank you for your response!

You’re right, there is a chance it will be benign and I really hope it is. I will make sure to update on here after my appointment with the dermatologist tomorrow

[Rb93]

99.9% of the time they are benign, I have had 2 biopsys

[alwaysanxious25]

Thank you 🙏🏼

[bin tenn]

Moles can and do evolve over time, as we age. It's not inherently bad/abnormal, though getting changes evaluated by a medical professional is also a smart move. I agree it is highly unlikely to be anything to worry about, but no one can fault you for having changes checked out.

I've had moles fade and eventually disappear, flake over, itch, etc. They've never changed since those things happened. Granted, I never had them checked, but those changes did not persist so I assume they were normal.

[alwaysanxious25]

Thank you

[alwaysanxious25]

So a bit of an update:
Saw the dermatologist today and he looked with a dermatoscope. He thinks it’s benign and I saw in his notes he wrote down “seborrheic keratosis”. after researching this, it seems like they only occur in adulthood? I’ve had this mole since I was a BABY so now i’m even more concerned? How on earth can it be seborrheic keratosis? So i just paid £800 for removal and biopsy.

[PennyP123]

Well here's the good news. 1. It's removed. 2. You'll have a definitive answer - no guessing - as to what it is from the biopsy. 3. If the doctor thought it was something sinister he wouldn't have written done seborrheic keratosis. When do you get the biopsy results?

[suttree63]

Hello, the old SKs eh ? (I can't spell, so SK will do ) ... I've had these since my early twenties - now late 50's - I'm fair skinned, (red head, well I was once, now bald as a coot). I' ve worked outside all my life and have been sunburn't several times. I get them on my back, top of chest and scalp area. Fortunately, they've never been extensive but they can be irritated by clothing, head wear (helmets- i'm in construction). Once I knew what they were I relaxed (after a few melanoma worries like you). The ones on my scalp I've dry iced (Scholl wartner product) but that is my personal choice and not an official medical fix... but works really well for me. Though some years ago a nurse used dry ice on my back ( I couldn't reach ! ). All in all - a minor irritation so don't be alarmed ... they are very common.