Skin cancer? Anxiety

[Jolly111w]

I have accidentally sunburnt a couple of times this summer. Usually I am good at applying sunscreen but this year I've been awful.
This has made me paranoid about skin cancer.
I have noticed this mole behind me ear and I don't know if it's always been there.
It's colourless And feels like a bump.
I don't even know if if it will be obvious In the picture.

Is it worth seeing the GP? Just don't want to waste their time as it is is tiny.

The picture is very unclear. Sending you a hug.

@Jolly111w

Maybe go and see your pharmacist. Really, really not trying to scare you. But my wife ignored a small lump and it didn't end well.

And I'll never forgive myself for not pushing her to get it checked.

Always, better safe than sorry.

Yes, see the GP. 1. It will give you peace of mind 2. If it is something troubling, the earlier it’s caught the better.

Unfortunately from a photo, none of us will be experienced enough to know what it is.

Sorry, picture is too blurry. You should get it looked at, even if just to put your mind at ease. I have been there so I get the anxiety

My skin cancer has was a colourless small bump - just appeared one day. Get it checked. Don't be scared though - if it is like mine they're easy to remove and don't spread quickly.

It's hard to see from that picture. It's probably all ok but you're obviously worried. I've felt utterly sick with worry over some of mine, it's really not a nice feeling and totally worth seeing the GP for the peace of mind. It's not wasting the GP's time to get it checked.

Sorry, attached another picture - I'll book a GP appointment tomorrow,
I haven't been to the GP in ages and I just feel I'll be belittled for going over a bump behind my ear

I'm 29 btw

Have any of you tried to get a GPs appointment? Almost bloody impossible.

But you can always walk into a chemist and ask to speak to the Pharmacist who can advise.

Just an additional comment… your GP is more likely than a pharmacist to have the knowledge and the kit to know if it’s troublesome or not, additionally they can refer you if they think it’s problematic.

I have stage 4 melanoma and have been in the ‘system’ a while.

Most things are benign but just in case it isn't, its better to be seen as soon as you can.
I felt silly worrying about a dark mark that appeared under my toenail, and got it checked out after seeing a thread on Mumsnet. They had an oncologist look at it, and I got the all clear a few weeks later after they tested it - no one made me feel bad or that I was wasting their time.

I'lll be honest, I personally wouldn't worry about the lump from the photo you've posted.

BUT I would always get any new mark or lump checked, whether I was worried or not. It's just not worth the risk.

That's the NHS advice regarding new moles etc so they should not make you feel you're wasting their time. They never have made me feel I'm wasting their time and I have a lot of moles and always get new or changed ones checked.

So yeah. Make a GP appointment and put it out of your mind

A pharmacist cannot evaluate skin changes and cannot refer if needed. This is a mole (or something like that), not a ring ringworm that needs some antifungal cream. 🙄

I went to see my GP about a mark under my fingernail on Thursday and have a nhs dermatology appointment already booked for today under the 2 week wait. I had been putting it off for 2 years becuase I thought it was silly and I didn't want to waste their time. Go, it is worth it for piece of mind.

I had a similar worry towards the end of the second lockdown - when it really was impossible to get seen by a gp. I am significantly older than you and it was a patch on my forehead.

I looked up private dermatology consultants locally - well next big town over - and the senior nhs consultant in the hospital saw private patients one afternoon a week in a Spire healthcare clinic. I contacted his secretary and got an appointment for the next week - cost me £300.

It is often possible to self refer for a private consultation- you don't need to go through the GP (which I found out from a relative who was a GP)

Worth every penny for the swift resolution and peace of mind. He took extensive photos so that he could compare if I ever felt there were changes, but he said yes it was sun damage, but not cancerous.

I'm glad you are booking a GP appointment. They will check and, if needed, refer.
Absolutely always better safe than sorry and the GP will not think it's a waste of time.

It's good to be vigilant about new moles and lumps and bumps. Getting them checked is simple and painless.

I have had a couple of odd lumps and bumps investigated and removed, but both times benign. I actually have a drs appointment later this week for something that has appeared on my arm that definitely wasn't there before.

Call your surgery OP. Explain what it's for. If the doctor isn't sure they will probably refer you to dermatology for further investigation.

Ask someone else to photograph it for you so you get a clearer picture and hold a 5p or a 1p next to it so you get an idea of the size now, so if you do eventually end up in dermatology in a few weeks time, they can see if it's grown on the meantime.

But honestly OP the vast majority of referrals are not cancerous.

I'm feeling the same nervousness - realised one of my moles has changed colour - must have been recently as it's on my arm, so very noticeable, so I contacted my GP surgery. Where I live, you have to fill in an online form and send photos to get assessed for a GP appt, and they got back straight away - am seeing them on Friday. Hopefully it's nothing, but it's definitely better to get it checked out - book an appointment and I hope it's all OK.

I understand your feelings that you don't want to waste anyone's time and that you may be belittled if it's nothing - I've felt eye-rolled at the doctor's a few times and it doesn't feel good! But in my experience this is something that GPs actually always have time for. - I've been 4 times and they always look carefully and take it seriously, even if it's not anything sinister. Have you made the appointment? Do it now!

You won’t have a skin cancer bump now from sunburn in the past couple of months, it doesn’t work like that.

The problem for you is you don’t know if you’ve always had it. Changes need to be checked. Yes you could get this checked as you aren’t sure if it’s a change.

Have any of you tried to get a GPs appointment? Almost bloody impossible. But you can always walk into a chemist and ask to speak to the Pharmacist who can advise.

Hmmm... whilst I agree it's almost impossible to get a gp appointment, this ( and all similar) case warrants it.
Whilst pharmacists are really helpful and give good advice, with the greatest of respect a gp has the appropriate training and equipment to make the call, and will be best placed to refer.

Op I'm sure you'll be fine, but good for you for being vigilant.

It's likely a bump that has been smaller but the sun and suncream have irritated it and inflamed it a bit. I always get acne on my body after applying suncream for a few days. See your GP though for reassurance.