You are "too young" for it be cancer

GPs don't know what skin cancer looks like. Do a single mole check - it will be worth every penny.

I was 35 and had a a lump that wasn’t breast cancer until 8 months later it was ( all turned out ok it was 20odd years ago) get it checked by boots or private or at least another dr on the surgery

I was told by 2 different drs (one with a special interest in dermatology) and a nurse that my mole was absolutely fine.
I demanded it got removed and was told they’d do it but it was a waste of mine and their time.
It was a malignant melanoma. Always trust your gut.

It's really not that expensive for a private mole check. I had one done recently.

Obviously you shouldn't need to but it'll give you an answer either way much quicker. I had mine done at the local private hospital.

Different climate I know, but in Australia 29 would not be considered 'too young' and the freckle/mole would be removed for a biopsy.

I would ask (insist) your GP to send an Advice and Guidance request with photo's to the dermatology department. It will be assessed by them and they can advise your GP if it should be an urgent suspected cancer referral (used to be called 2WW but recently changed). The A&G request will very likely be assessed by dermatology much quicker than your appointment in December.

I would make an appointment to see a Dermatologist privately, OP.

Which region do you live in?

I would book a private appointment if you can afford it. I recently did this to get something looked at (a bump, not a mole) and they cut it off there and then and sent it off for testing. It was £500 (in an expensive part of London so I imagine it might be cheaper elsewhere). I didn’t even bother going to my GP because I knew it would be fairly pointless and I wasn’t willing to worry about it for months (or years!).

Can you get a private consultation? That will give you peace of mind although it can be pricey:

Doctors aren't necessarily experts.
My husband was concerned about a mole on his back, he went to the doctor who checked him over. He was very concerned about the mole so got him a quick appointment with a specialist.
Turns out the mole that my husband and doctor were concerned about was completely harmless, but the specialist was worried about another mole on my husband's back, that had been missed by the doctor.
A biopsy was done and it was cancerous.
Always get a second opinion if in doubt.

I understand most UK doctors are utterly hopeless at recognizing skin cancer. even specialists can't always tell without a biopsy. I would, in your circumstances, do everything possible to get a second opinion or go privately to a dermatologist. The GP sounds particularly thick. Twenty nine is not particularly young for a skin cancer.

If you have had a new mole appear in the last month which has changed already I would go back for a second opinion at the GP if you cannot afford a private dermatologist

I would pay for a private dermatologist appointment and get a second opinion from someone who knows what they're doing. This is what you need to do in this country, take your health in your own hands

Like others I would also pay, which is frustrating as you shouldn’t have to. My husband had a mole removed due to melanoma when he was 23, so he now has yearly skin mapping (he is very moley).

I would insist on an urgent appointment - melanoma cancer can spread very quickly.

Get a second opinion op. I had something similar and luckily my GP made the referral straight away. It took a while to be seen and biopsied but it did indeed turn out to be a basal cell carcinoma. I had it removed at a clinic very easily and was in and out within about an hour. I have no idea why a GP would change their mind like that, surely if there’s any doubt you’d err on the side of caution. Being too young is a ridiculous reason to prevent further investigation.

An acquaintance of ours teenage daughter has recurring skin cancer. Your Dr is being negligent and ignorant. Demand a proper referral or go get a second opinion elsewhere.

Ask the gp to send pictures to the dermatologist or when you get an appointment send them in yourself. The Scanoma app apparently charges £27 for a dermatologist review. Skinvision is apparently £7 for one and £50 for twelve months monitoring. There are probably others.

Statistically it’s unlikely, but individually it may well be. Keep pushing OP. Second opinion, then an individual private screening if you need it.

My DH had a 'dodgy mole' which GP wasn't too bothered about. He was Stage 3 Melanoma at 32, remission and then came back so Stage 4 at 44...Please don't wait. Get it checked out. Melanoma is very aggressive if it spreads it can do so very quickly.

If you can afford it go for a private consultation. I had a red patch on my breast that I instinctively knew wasn’t right. No lump, just a warm red patch. My gp referred me to the breast clinic, but when I still hadn’t been seen 6 weeks later I booked a consultation with a private breast cancer consultant. He told me within 5 minutes he was certain I had inflammatory breast cancer, and biopsies proved him right. I was at stage 3C already and was very lucky I could still receive curative treatment.
Trust your instincts. I hope you get on ok x

It horrifies me to read this. My 22yo daughter was told by her GP she was too young and not to worry. Thankfully it went the other way round and the GP called to say that after discussing it with a more senior GP, they would refer her. She saw the dermatology consultant who said she wasn't worried but would do a biopsy...we didn't hear for 4 months, almost forgot about it...and then they contacted her, on the phone.....to say it was cancer!

Unbelievable! Thankfully it was the lowest grade possible, but it still took another 4 months for them to test to make sure all had been removed during the biopsy. She was never one to go for a,tan, on the opposite and I always covered her in suncream as a child.

OP, listen to your gut feeling, go private.

Hi OP, I've signed up just to respond to this. Please get a second opinion. I was diagnosed with melanoma at 32 so your GP is talking nonsense to say you are too young for it to be skin cancer. Im only okay now because my GP referred me straight away following the 2 week urgent process. I had my mole which was melanoma removed within 6 weeks of the GP visit. It was at stage 1b then.

Did the GP use a dermascope to check it and does your GP surgery have a dermatology specialist? It would be worth checking and if they do, insisting on an appointment.

I really hope for you that it is not skin cancer but, sadly, there is no such thing as "too young" for skin cancer and suspicious moles must be checked properly.

ETA: I cant believe your GP is ignoring a family history of skin cancer. Thats what made my GP say he would definitely refer even though I didn't have enough symptoms to do the 2WW referral. Around 10% of melanomas are genetic. A family history of skin cancer puts someone at much greater risk.

Your GP sounds clueless - Melanoma is one of the leading cancers in young people!! Any changing mole requires referral - I would go private or try and get another GP. I’m not sure where you are but in my area any lump or changing mole gets a urgent referral.

Yes I have that app and you can scan a couple of moles for free without having to subscribe.