Need dermatology/melanoma advice...

[Toposlonoshlep]

Hi mamas,

I am a hypochondriac (a self-diagnosed one, of course ), but I am kind of confused about what changes in moles to look for in regards to melanoma. I have always been covered in hundreds of moles, and they change all the time. It's par for the course. I have a very small (less than mm) mole on my knee that is kind of concerning me. It first appeared for no reason at all, popped up almost like a zit (maybe it even WAS a zit), and then started as a pretty dark tiny pin-hole sized dot with a darker area underneath the skin (almost like a hair underneath it growing in...). It has been a year and a half and it hasn't grown that much, it did lighten up. It's asymmetrical, but all of my moles are!
It doesn't itch or hurt. I was under the impression that melanoma changes and grows pretty rapidly and that it is supposed to be larger than a pencil eraser....Is this a fact? Can it be so tiny?

I can't get a dermatology appointment until October....

Any stories or personal experience of problem moles would be appreciated.

THANK YOU!!!

[carfreemama]

I see no one responded, so here goes...

I am a self-diagnosed hypochondriac too! I hear it called a polite name of "health anxiety." Ha!

I am mole-ey too and actually had my first "atypical nevus" removed last year by a dermatologist. He did say melanomas are usually greater than a pencil eraser in size; but that a very early, beginning one could be smaller.

As far as changes, I think they've added a few to to the old ABCD thing...I just looked it up and it says there's an E now, for "evolving." Also now they talk about the "ugly duckling" mole, which is useful for those of us with a lot of them. It says you should look for moles that appear different from the surrounding ones.

Just a note. The lesion I had excised had me completely FREAKED OUT, because it changed incredibly quickly. It started off as a mole I've had forever and very quickly (within a few weeks) grew about 3 times its size and then partially flaked off. I figured I was in BIG trouble. Doc said it was an actinic keratosis, not really scary at all. So just in case it does start to grow, don't panic.

Unless the lesion changes quickly (although I know that's confusing, based on the above), I think you're okay until October.

One last thing, my dermatologist did say he doesn't believe in sunscreen as first-line defense. He strongly recommended tightly woven, sun-protective clothing. I've since begun a wardrobe of sunsafe clothes, including the SPF50 ones, based on his advice.

Good luck, sweetie. I know this kind of worry sucks.

[Toposlonoshlep]

Thank you so much for being so sympathetic and so comforting. It's easy to freak out about these things, since I am covered in nevi...Literally none of my moles are perfectly regular and even, so all of these criteria just end up scaring me instead of helping raise my awareness of what to look for. But I DO feel like I'll live until October! Thank you for your response!

[blessedwithboys]

Originally Posted by carfreemama

One last thing, my dermatologist did say he doesn't believe in sunscreen as first-line defense. He strongly recommended tightly woven, sun-protective clothing. I've since begun a wardrobe of sunsafe clothes, including the SPF50 ones, based on his advice.

Excellent advice! This is what I do for my Fitzpatrick I ds.

[Oubliette8]

It could be an ingrown hair. I had a bump like that on my leg, it popped up suddenly, and then didn't change much at all for several years. Its didn't hurt and seemed to have a dark center, like something inside it. On day it just disappeared. I do have a scar there, but that might be because I picked at rather ruthlessly a few times trying to figure out what it was and how to get it to go away!

[red and lulu]

Originally Posted by carfreemama

Also now they talk about the "ugly duckling" mole, which is useful for those of us with a lot of them. It says you should look for moles that appear different from the surrounding ones.

i've been to the doctor three times this year because i was freaking out about moles ("health anxiety" ) and this is what he kept telling me. one may look funky but if there are a lot of funky ones, it's probably fine.

good luck!