Anyone with experience of Melanoma or other skin cancers?

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

Tonight my DD was drawing on my tummy (I was letting her cos it was buying 5 minutes of relaxing...she's 2!) and she circled a mole on my tummy with the pen, which made me look at it closer. I noticed that, although it's pretty round in shape, it's quite big, the border is faded, and there is what appears to be 3 or 4 black spots in it.

I decided to have a really good look all over to see if there were any other funny looking moles and I have one very much like it on my leg. I also have another mole (also quite close to the other 2) which is very big, asymmetrical in shape but without any dark "spots."

I've obviously googled and freaked myself out a bit but I was wondering if you can have moles such as these that aren't anything/benign? Especially having two that are similar, is this reassuring or more alarming?

In any case I'm going to phone up the GP first thing in the morning but anyone with any advice/reassurance/experiences would be appreciated, as I'm feeling pretty nervous.

[PurpleDaisies]

Are they new or have they always looked like that? Changing moles are the most worrying. I have lots of funny looking moles which aren't anything dodgy. Some people naturally have moles that look like that.

You're definitely doing the right thing by having them checked out but chances are they are probably just normal variants.

[NameRanger]

I've just been to gp about a large black mole that I was worried about.

She said it looked fine and that she sees lots of people with moles that are nothing to worry about but because we're told to be so vigilant about them, people want to get them checked.

No harm in going to get them looked at by your gp? Do you think they've changed at all?

[NameRanger]

Mine has black spots, isn't black all over.

Have you ever been badly sunburnt? Gp asked me that and if there was a history of skin cancer in the family.

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

I'm not sure to be honest. I know I've had the one on my leg since birth because I remember looking at it when I was growing up and stuff. I don't think it had the black spots but maybe so and I just never really looked at it that close. The one on my stomach I can't remember ever noticing it so I'm worried it's gotten bigger without me noticing...and the asymmetrical one I think might be new...or it's a birthmark that's gotten darker? I'm really not sure, so best I get them checked.

[originalmavis]

What's the thing again, abc?

Asymmetry: one half of the mole does not match the other half
Border: the border or edges of the mole are ragged, blurred or irregular
Colour: the mole has different colours or it has shades of tan, brown, black, blue, white or red
Diameter: the diameter of the mole is larger than 6mm
Elevation: the mole appears elevated (raised from the skin)

Boots and supredrug do mole checks these days.

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

I have been badly sunburnt in the past, I grew up in a hot country, but I have had the stomach one covered up for years. The asymmetrical one has definitely always been covered up (it's on my "bikini line"), but the leg one was probably exposed quite a bit.

I asked my mum tonight and both my uncle and grandpa have had skin cancer, but not melanoma. They've had basal something or another and had removals, my uncle had a skin graft for one.

[originalmavis]

Is it itchy or bleeding? It's probably fine, but have it checked out for your peace of mind.

[PurpleDaisies]

Have you been pregnant recently? That often causes moles to change (in a normal non-scary way).

Like I said, by far the most likely thing the GP will tell you is that your moles are fine but it is important to go just in case they need looking at by a dermatologist.

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

Both the ones with black spots have blurred borders, but are pretty round in shape. The asymmetrical one is pretty light in colour with no black spots, but larger than the others and very misshapen.

[IslaMann]

Go and get them checked out. If they're harmless you'll be reassured. If they are melanoma, the sooner you get treated the better. Can't reassure you over the Internet, they need looking at by an expert under a Dermatoscope. Don't be scared when/if your GP refers you under a two week wait urgent referral scheme. That's the correct procedure. Also if you can be seen by a plastic surgeon rather than a dermatologist, that is preferable.

[mineofuselessinformation]

There's no harm in getting them checked by your GP.
They might be removed as a matter of course and tested.
Better to be safe, OP.

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

Purple DD is 2.5 so that's how recent(non-recent?) I was pregnant.

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

No itching or bleeding. Thanks, everyone. Reassuring that someone else had one with black spots and said to be ok.

[PurpleDaisies]

It's entirely possible that they changed while you were pregnant and you've been too busy ever since to notice!

I have a mole that looks so horrendous that whenever I have my stomach examined the doctor comments on it. I've had it all my life so it is clearly ok!

Hopefully you can get to your GP quickly so you won't be worrying for too long. Definitely get checked out. It isn't worth missing catching a dodgy mole early (even though it's more likely to be fine).

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

Thanks, Purple. It's weird how if DD hadn't circled it tonight I wouldn't be any the wiser!

[PrincessHairyMclary]

Just get it checked out as you are planning too.

My mum went to the Drs for something around last Feb. whilst she was there the GP noticed this spot on her face. It wasn't a freckle or mole, it wasn't dark etc looked nothing like the things we are told to look out for. It was just a spot under her eye that would get bigger then go down before getting bigger again. She had ignored it as just one of those things that happen as you get older. Anyway by the end of this DRs appointment he had referred her to dermatology and she had an emergency appointment within the week. It was in fact skin cancer, 2 weeks later she had it removed with rather horrendous looking wounds. However these have now healed nicely but she looks like she's had a facelift on that side.

Anyway the point is Drs will take it seriously and act quickly if they think it is something to worry about. And if it's not you'll have put your mind at rest.

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

Wow Princess I'm glad your mum is ok.

I will definitely ring up for an appt tomorrow as I'm sure the GP will be happy to reassure me rather than feel I'm a bit of a time-waster!

[customercare]

Get them checked out. My dh had a mole that was irregular, brown and with some black bits. He went to his GP who immediately referred him to a hospital. Two weeks later the consultant had it removed. It was found it to be a malignant melanoma. Luckily it hadn't spread and he's perfectly fine.

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

Glad your DH is ok, customer. Hopefully if it is anything I'll have caught them early.

[mrsrhodgilbert]

saga Just to completely change the direction of this thread, did you know there is going to be a new series of The Bridge on bbc4 in a couple of weeks?hopefully your moles will turn out to be innocent.

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

I did know! Very exciting! (The new series, not the moles!)

[PurpleDaisies]

I was debating whether or not to derail too...I'm a massive fan of basically any Scandinavian drama and I'm counting down the days until the bridge is back. Saga is such an interesting character. I throughly approve of your username op.

[SagaNorensLeatherTrousers]

Brilliant! I love her character. It will be interesting to see how she is this series...!