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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be in such a blind panic about this suspicious-looking mole?

23 replies

emeraldgirl1 · 04/10/2011 11:45

It's on my foot, where I have lightly burned in the past, and it's very dark brown and slightly raised, though very small. (Don't worry, i'm not expecting a diagnosis over the internet, just typing this out to try to make myself get a grip!!!). I think it's either brand new or has got much darker quite suddenly because I haven't noticed it before. Weird thing about it is that it doesn't look like most of my other freckles (I have a LOT, hence my total paranoia about skin cancer) but almost looks as if it has been 'stuck on' IYSWIM.

I have an appointment with the mole clinic on Thursday but until then I am literally making myself ill with worry. I can barely focus on work or conversations. I do know I'm being an idiot but I have chronic health anxiety at the best of times and skin cancer is my really huge bogeyman, partly because I have so many freckles and such fair skin and partly because my mother has a friend whose daughter (exactly the same age as me, born on the same day in the same hospital; that's how my mum met her) died a month ago from skin cancer. It's on my mind for sure but I'm not imagining this new/darker freckle.

Anyone care to give me a metaphorical slap and calm me down? DH thinks I'm being crazy (I am being crazy!!). I've done all I can in making the appointment. But my imagination is running wild right now... :(

OP posts:

worraliberty · 04/10/2011 11:47

Why do you need an appointment with a mole clinic?

My GP (or the nurse if he's not available) shine an ultra violet light on mine and can tell me in seconds if my moles are ok or not.

Original poster

emeraldgirl1 · 04/10/2011 11:49

Oh!!! I didn't know about this worraliberty... I have used a mole clinic in the past as for my particular needs (vast numbers of freckles and moles!!) I have actually found it worth it as it covers so many. But yes I guess I may be able to go to the GP faster... that said the very earliest I could go now would be tomorrow so it would only buy me 24 hours... thanks for the info though!

OP posts:

GetOrfMo1Land · 04/10/2011 11:55

Don't worry (I know that is trite of me to say that when you have such issues).

Seriously, try not to. I had a nasty mole which was remived, and turned out to be malignant, I then had a secondary procedure and all is absolutely fine now.

I too go to a mole clinic every year as am paranoid of any more moles turning (I spent a lot of childhood in the tropics and was burned a lot) and am religious about sunscreen and never, ever sitting in the sun.

I am sure you will be OK - yes it is rather common but it is also very responsive to treatment.

Good luck.

Original poster

emeraldgirl1 · 04/10/2011 12:00

Hi GetOrfmo1Land - thank you for your reassuring post. Yes I like you never go in the sun, this is why I am so worried as the mole is on my foot and the only place I have ever had too much sun in the past 25 (!) years is my feet - I have occasionally forgotten about them when applying sunscreen. In fact I did this only a couple of months ago and got pretty sore patches where my sandals had not covered.

I've had a mole removed once before which turned out to be nothing but this one somehow looks worse... I have a 'feeling' about it - but then as my DH would say, I say that every time I have a health panic!!!

Where was the mole you had removed from, if you don't mind me asking? How long ago was it?

OP posts:

squeakytoy · 04/10/2011 12:07

I can be a bit of a hypochondriac with moles, and will often find one that I havent noticed before... and then I have to check back on old photos to see if it was there.. (usually is... ) and we do tend to get more skin blemishes appear as we get older too, that is quite normal.

Original poster

emeraldgirl1 · 04/10/2011 12:10

thanks squeakytoy... I'm lucky in one sense as I know this one has definitely either got darker or come up recently as I have been slapping on the fake tan over the summer so have been more aware of my feet than would normally be! All I know for sure is that it was either very light or not there at all roughly 2-3 months ago, and at some point in the last month has changed enough to catch my eye in the shower. I do know these things are very common but as I said in my OP this is such a bogeyman for me... On some level, because of my high number of moles, I'm just kind of convinced I will get skin cancer and that every changing/new mole is just the first sign. I'm an idiot. It's no fun being this way!! :(

OP posts:

squeakytoy · 04/10/2011 12:12

You are not an idiot at all.. but once you have noticed something, it does play on your mind until you get it checked out. Thursday is only a few hours away, so try not to worry. :)

mrsmummy84 · 04/10/2011 12:12

I was told something very useful by a friend that saw a very good dermatologist. When it comes to moles, you only need to worry if they become assymetrical (sp?).
Of course, if in doubt it's better to get them checked out, but that is a quick way to know whether to get it done sooner rather than later.

Original poster

emeraldgirl1 · 04/10/2011 12:17

Thanks mrsmummy... yes, I've heard the asymmetry thing too. Trouble with this one is that I don't know if has changed shape as this is the first time I have really spotted it. It's hard to tell if it's asymmetrical - it's def not perfectly round or oval but it isn't all jagged at the borders. Really it's the colour that's worrying me and the fact that it doesn't look like my other moles/freckles. That said the last time I went into a panic about something on my skin it turned out to be not a mole at all but a sebhorreic wart (lovely). I do know that there are many different types of skin lesions. But having so many moles (am I right about this??) does make me feel I'm higher risk.

OP posts:

ArtyJennie · 04/10/2011 12:59

I'm paranoid about moles etc too- I was referred by my gp to a specialist once and it turned out to be nothing.

I notice that you mentioned you've been using fake tan a lot? I sometimes get a spray tan and i have found that it tends to cling to some freckles/moles and takes longer to fade in these areas. I freaked myself out with this thinking that several moles had got darker- when in fact it was just the fake tan! Could this be why you have noticed the mole more? I find that fake tan often lingers around the ankle area too!

you're doing the right thing getting it checked though.

weaselbudge · 04/10/2011 13:37

Hi - i found one on my toe that looks the spitting image of one on skin cancer websites - in fact that's what made me get it checked as i saw a similar one in a magazine - like you i got really worried but it all turned out to be absolutely fine! They sent me off to have it photographed and then i had it closely monitored to see if it changed size/shape which it didn't and got all clear from two consultant dermatologists. I couldn't have a biopsy as they would have had to basically cut my toe off! So please don't worry too much. Good luck! xx

Original poster

emeraldgirl1 · 04/10/2011 13:59

thanks ArtyJennie!!! You know, you could be right about the fake tan thing - that did occur to me in one of my more lucid moments!! I noticed the freckle first when I was doing fake tan a couple of months ago but at that time I just thought it was in fact a patch where fake tan had gathered and made it darker. It's only now that I have been letting the fake tan fade out and not reapply for a couple of weeks that I have noticed this freckle is not fading! I will mention that to the mole clinic though for sure.

And thanks weaselbudge, glad to hear your story ended happily! And without you losing a toe... :)

OP posts:

LaurieFairyCake · 04/10/2011 14:02

I have a 9mm one on my boob and when I took it to the doc he said malignant ones grow quickly and to remeasure in a month. I did, nothing happened so I stopped worrying :)

Bugsy2 · 04/10/2011 14:10

If it is less than 5mm, you'll struggle to find anyone very interested I think. My sis is a GP and she tells me that there is some kind of scale that they judge moles on for referrals. I am fairly sure, but not certain, if it is tiny you won't be going to see anyone in a great hurry. My sis, is completely paranoid about her own moles & goes to see a dermatologist privately, because she can't be doing with the referral system!!!!! Should also be noted, that despite her paranoia & endless removals, not one single mole has been found to be anything other than completely normal.
Stop worrying - exhausting waste of energy. Wait to see what GP says & take it from there.

Original poster

emeraldgirl1 · 04/10/2011 15:31

thanks Bugsy and LaurieFairyCake

I guess I will just have to see what the mole clinic say - you're right that worrying is a waste of energy and I do know that there is literally nothing more I can do than get it checked.

Is the waiting I hate!!

OP posts:

mrsmummy84 · 06/10/2011 08:27

Good luck at the clinic today - let us know how you get on?

ajandjjmum · 06/10/2011 08:29

*I thought the title was about a suspicious looking male!
Good luck today OP.

aldiwhore · 06/10/2011 08:42

Good luck today OP, and thank you... I never even knew there was such a thing as a mole clinic!! I have had a few checked out, but by a GP (no ultrviolet light though?) but I'm still very paranoid. All my freckles and moles are different in shape, colour, texture and some look like the pictures on the 'what to look for' leaflets which doesn't help my worry... though these have been checked out.

Hope it goes well today... by the way, I also have a weird pigmentation (raised) where I burned myself on my arm years ago... also been checked out.

I shall be looking into booking in at a mole clinic though, so heartfelt thanks.

Original poster

emeraldgirl1 · 06/10/2011 13:51

Have just posted another thread on this...

get ready to laugh at me.

It was a sticky thing stuck to my foot.

In my defence I didn't want to spend ages picking and scratching at it in case it bled and that would make it look worse when I went to the clinic. The woman there scratched at it for a couple of moments and it came off!!! We laughed (thank God, I'd have died if she'd been bitchy about it!).

SOOOOOOOO embarrassing...

nevertheless thanks everyone for your kind posts!!!

OP posts:

GetOrfMo1Land · 06/10/2011 13:52

i bet you wanted the ground to swallow you up. What the hell was it?

Original poster

emeraldgirl1 · 06/10/2011 13:55

I have no idea... but you're right, I wanted the ground to swallow me up and devour me. Worst thing is I now have to tell everyone! May have to fib (to save face) with mum and friends and just say, oh, it was fine, nothing to worry about...

OP posts:

aldiwhore · 06/10/2011 13:56

A suspicious looking mole indeed... a cocoa pop in disguise??

mummysleepy · 06/10/2011 14:17

at least it's nothing serious!!!

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