Large mole - worried about melanoma

[newmumshelley]

Hi all

Just looking for a bit of reassurance really. Has anyone had any experience with a big mole appearing (I’m embarrassed to say I’m not sure exactly how long it’s been there) that looks different to all your others and it’s been fine?

I just noticed this mole under my boob (pic attached) at the weekend. Went to the doctor today half expecting her to be like it’s fine don’t worry but she took one look and referred me via fast track to been seen in two weeks by a dermatologist. I’m now going out of my mind :( Like I said it looks completely different to all my other moles (tiny and much darker) and it’s about an inch in size.

Thank you for receding x

[ClaraMumsnet]

Hi @bookworm1982, we've just been alerted to this thread. We don't actually allow our users to give medical advice as we can't vouch for their authenticity. We'd encourage you to see a doctor.

[bookworm1982]

@DermatologyDoc

Glad it is confirmed as SK. I usually use liquid nitrogen to treat them (surgery is rarely necessary) and it works well.

Hi Dermatology Doc, are you still about? I found this thread and wanted to ask you something!

[Footle]

If found early it's easily treatable. If found late it's very far from 'one of the easiest cancers to treat '.

[mumsnoangel]

@newmumshelley thank you for your update. Too many people never do this and it's so good to know the final outcome of issues to help people with a similar thing.

[newmumshelley]

Hi everyone, thought I should update this thread just incase someone happens upon it in the future whilst in a googling frenzy like I was!

The dodgy growth turned out to be a fungal wart - lovely. The dermatologist prescribed me a cream and now the patch has almost completely gone.

If you do find this thread in a googling panic please try not to go down a rabbit hole like I did, I had virtually convinced myself I was a gonner before I even saw a dermatologist!! The internet is full of horror stories but whilst melanoma is very real and dangerous it’s also pretty rare and there’s lots more your problem could be other than that. Please don’t jump to worst case scenario like I did, just go see your doctor and listen to them!!

[OpheliaTodd]

🤞 for you. Please do update xx

[newmumshelley]

So relieved for you! My apt has come through for 21 August so not too long to wait...

[DermatologyDoc]

Glad it is confirmed as SK. I usually use liquid nitrogen to treat them (surgery is rarely necessary) and it works well.

[OpheliaTodd]

So I saw the dermatologist yesterday and apparently mine is/are (had a couple more dotted about too) seborrhaic (sp) warts. No need to remove. Apparently that can cause more problems. Phew! 😅

[KettleOn919]

If I pressed my finger firmly on it it felt exactly like normal skin, but if I ran my finger much more lightly over it I could detect a very slight roughening.

[newmumshelley]

Yes mine either, if that’s what it is of course. Which I’m hoping it is..! It’s VERY slightly raised but in no way waxy, the texture is no different than my skin really. Was yours like that also?

[KettleOn919]

I was going to say it could be a seborrheic keratosis. I had one on my face last summer, and was whizzed to dermatology on the 2-week rule because my gp thought it could have been melanoma. But a seborrheic keratosis was what it was, and it was frozen off never to return.

Pictures on Google are not always a good indicator. Most pictures of seborrheic keratosis show raised, waxy looking lumps. Mine didn't look anything like them.

[DermatologyDoc]

This is a seborrheic ketatosis too. The black dots are called comedone-like structures. Can be frozen off but not on the NHS.

[OpheliaTodd]

See it’s got the little black bits in?

[OpheliaTodd]

@DermatologyDoc do you fancy saying what you’d think of mine?

[DermatologyDoc]

Happy to help.

[newmumshelley]

Thanks all - that’s really reassuring. You have at least saved me from going mental in the two week wait.

Dermatologydoc - that’s very reassuring thank you. I did think it could be that but dismissed it because of my age (30) but from reading a bit more about it what I have seems much much more likely to be SK than the dreaded melanoma (fingers crossed)

[DermatologyDoc]

I am a consultant dermatologist. It looks benign on the photo. It might turn out to be a seborrheic keratosis, they are quite common under the breasts.

Usual caveat - it needs to be examined in person for full accuracy.

[Time40]

That doesn't look like a mole to me, it looks more like a discoloured patch.

Don't worry, OP - even when it looks serious, it can turn out to be nothing. I had a big dark mole that went funny colours, changed shape and started bleeding. I had it cut out ... and there was nothing wrong with it. Benign.

[pucelleauxblanchesmains]

I had one that looked like textbook melanoma when I was 20 - huge, three colours, bonkers shape, the works - my GP looked terrified when she saw it and I had the worst 2 months of my life (yes, two months) waiting for the results from the biopsy because of an admin error. In the end histology found it to be a benign compound mole and not even a pre-cancerous one that needed any further skin removal. This obviously doesn't automatically mean that yours will be fine (although I'm of course hoping it will, and most people referred on the 2 week pathway do not have cancer in the end.) But it's absolutely not as cut and dry as dodgy mole = melanoma. And if it is melanoma then if you've caught it early enough - and you've been proactive about this, which is good!!!! - it's one of the easier cancers to treat because it's on the surface of the skin and can just be excised.

[newmumshelley]

It’s not fun is it. Let me know how you get on. I will definitely update this thread once I’ve been x

[newmumshelley]

Thanks everyone. I didn’t think it looked that dodgy either (my GP seemed to think it was speckley in colour and irregular edged... not sure if I’m blind) but i of course have found horror stories online about small normal looking moles turning out the be nasty etc and just panicked. Always jump to the worst case scenario don’t you 🙄🙄🙄

[OpheliaTodd]

I’m also on the 2 week thing waiting for an appt with a dermatologist. Difference is that mine looks very much like photos of dodgy moles so I’m bricking it 😕

[MrsEricBana]

Doesn't look at all dodgy to me but I'm no expert. Good to get checked. Hope you get some reassuring news asap.

[Benjispruce]

www.bad.org.uk/for-the-public/skin-cancer/melanoma-leaflets/abcd-easy-guide-to-checking-your-moles