Moles - the skin type (not the animal type)

[KoolAidKid]

I'm a very moley person. I have several large dark moles on my back and one of them sits just under where my right bra strap usually goes. At the moment it's slightly sore and has a big dark coloured scab on top of it.

I assume my bra strap has been rubbing my mole and made it bleed. This hasn't happened before but there's always a first time. What do you think I should do? I know you have to be careful with moles, but don't want to go to doctors with just a minor bra strap irritation.

[idealism]

better safe than sorry. i had a mole that turned out to be malignant; trust me, your gp would rather send you off having wasted 5 mins of his/ her time than not.

[Ponders]

If it's been there a long time & this hasn't happened before I agree with idealism, get it checked out.

[Grumpla]

Have it checked. You'd only be wasting a couple of minutes of their time and it could save your life.

[AliceAirhead]

A fellow moley person. I have mine checked every year - my GP's suggestion, he said prevention is easier than cure. He's removed a couple he was suspicious of, though they turned out to be ok. He's also removed a few large ones that were either unsightly (i.e. cosmetic reasons) or, like yours, in areas where they're liable to catch or become irritated. I guess I'm lucky that this doc is the practice's skin specialist and does minor ops.

I'd urge you to find out who the skin specialist is at your practice and go and get it checked out or, if it looks ok, at least getting it removed. Talk too about having an annual mole check. Though I'm really careful with my skin in the sun, it really reassures me knowing that if one of my sqillion moles is dodgy, my GP should pick it up.

[Janni]

Your GP won't mind - they're happy to assess any changes in moles.

I'm also very mole-y and when my 5 year old heard me discussing the subject she said, wide-eyed 'Have you got moles digging in your back?'

[FooffyShmoofferschinhair]

Agree with all above and also see about a 'mole map'.
A photographer at the hospital took photos at all angles so that I know where they are and what they all look like and I can spot any changes.

[Ponders]

can you get that done on the NHS, fooffy? I think Superdrug (???) do it but you have to pay (I am v moley too & would prefer to get it free )

[KoolAidKid]

Sorry only just got back to this thread.

I'm not sure how long it's been there, or when it turned scabby. Like I say it's on my back, so I can't see it unless I look at my back in a mirror whilst naked. Which to be fair I don't do very often DH first noticed it last night, he thought I'd hurt myself and it was a big scab, but when I looked myself I could see it's actually a scab on a big mole.

I don't check my moles, it's this very bad? TBH I wouldn't know what to look for.

Thanks for your advice, I will ring GP tomorrow and see if I can get an appointment.

[ragged]

GP will tell you what to look for.
tbh, I think that very moley people have less to worry about than people who have very few moles. Other risk factors are more important, anyway.

Re getting all your moles photo'd and ID'd etc., I've read a lot of criticisms of that approach, overkill high expense unreliable, but it's up to you, if you think it'd give you peace of mind (usually only done privately in the UK, too).

[FooffyShmoofferschinhair]

My mole map was NHS. I went to see the dermatologist re: a suspicious mole and he suggested it. I wouldnt have known about it otherwise.

Ragged - It does make you a little obssessive tbh. I went through a phase of constantly checking.