Bleeding mole - please reassure me

[AuntieMaggie]

I've got an appointment later this morning with GP but I'm really worried about a mole on my face that has been irritated and this morning started bleeding.

It feels rough like its got a scab on it but I haven't done anything to damage it or used anything abrasive on my face.

This morning I had only washed my face with face wash, barely touched it but when I looked in the mirror I had blood trickling down my face

I'm in work until I go to the docs later and am struggling not to cry.

This would just be the last straw if it were anything serious - I'm just about coping to come to terms with other things that are going on.

I scratched one mole in my sleep (in my neck) and it was bleeding too, nothing wrong with it but better check with your GP. I got it removed afterwards and it is quite a simple procedure.
Hope you are fine.

Thank you

GP wasn't worried but has referred me to his colleague who deals with these things so I might have it removed at the surgery.

Hi Auntie Maggie,

I just saw this and wanted to say, definitely take up the referral, and get it taken off by either the GP or a qualified dermatologist.

When they take it off, don't let them do a 'shave' because it will knacker the results if it does turn out to be a bit dodgy (and it may very well not!)

A proper excisional biopsy is necessary with something like this. So don't let them do it any other way.

When are you having it seen to? Don't wait more than a couple of weeks. Let us know how you get on. Melanoma is very rare still, try not to worry

Auntie Maggie - my DH has loads of moles - all different shapes and sizes. I made him go once for one on his back - which according to the signs you should look out for was ringing alarm bells. That one was absolutely fine.

He also had a small one on his upper arm which had gone scabby and bled a fair bit. The GP monitored it for two weeks and was satisfied there was nothing sinister going on. He did say that if it didn't settle would refer him - but it was all ok. He did say though any changes should be checked out just in case.

Do remember that GPs are not usually expert in diagnosing these things.

Even derms make mistakes - the only sure way is to have it off, really.

You are probably fine, but if there is a risk of melanoma, you cannot afford to hang about waiting for it to do something exciting and definitive. The sooner it goes, the better.

I would insist it is removed for your own peace of mind. Now in the unlikely event that it is malignant it's important to remember that caught quickly skin cancer is very easy to treat and as this mole is on your face you are not likely to have missed any strange symptoms for any length of time.

My friend and my aunt have both had melanoma's removed and to be honest one was on the back so no idea how long it had been looking dodgy and my aunt's was weeping for about 3 months before she went to the dr's BOTH have had them removed and BOTH are fine as it was caught in plenty of time.

(Hi Connor...nice to see you! Haven't seen you about for a while, hope things are good )

Hello flight

RL has been getting in the way of MN these days. Just had my tonsils out so spent last couple of weeks feeling sorry for myself!

Ouch

Sorry to hear that. It must be agony. Hope it is worth it though in future.

i have had a lot of moles removed. It's not that bad honestly.

ps, the mole on my hip that used to bleed was sent off to the lab and it was fine, so try not to worry.

Get it removed for your peace of mind. they will send it to the lab as a matter of course.

Flight, I sometimes wonder if you are me and I made your posts when I was sleep MNing!!

I also had a mole on my face 'shaved'. It turned out to be ok luckily but it basically grew back, so then I had to go back and have it excised properly. I wished he'd done that to start with, as it seemed like that mole, having it removed, wearing a plaster on my face, the scar fading away gradually, then the mole growing back, then it being excised, then wearing a plaster on my face, then the scar fading away.......... it was a more long drawn out drama than it needed to be!

So,,,,,,, I'd advise anybody against a 'shave' as well. I was told they only grow back 2% of the time, but I think it's about 50% of the time. They just try that first.

LOL VS Sorry about that!!

Sorry you had a big drama with your mole that was shaved. The reason I said not to let them is that when a mole turns out to be malignant, the prognosis, follow up and treatment all depends on the depth. So if it's shaved you only get part of it, and they can't then follow the correct protocol very easily.

A punch biopsy is also not great as surrounding margins are also important. but anyway - hope none of this ends up being relevant, OP!

VS - you're not MAS in disguise are you? I've been wondering.

Who? Madonna? yeah, I'm Madonna.

Who's MAS?

Definitely get it checked, but don't worry too much because if you've managed to nick it in any way moles can bleed like buggery.

Sorry! Mary Ann Same-surname-as-you. I didn't think you were the same person but had to ask!

uh-oh. I thought I was original!

Madonna had a mole removed too. As did SJP. But theirs didn't leave even a trace. Mine has healed up well, but you can see where the mole was.

I went to my gp for the same thing and am seeing someone (plastic surgeon) on Saturday about my crusty mole, it's on my top lip - will report back