Dark mole appeared on sole of foot - anyone else had this!

[bookworm1982]

Hello, just noticed it today. I don't know when it appeared but was definitely not there a year ago. Has anyone had this happen and it turn out to be normal? I've booked in to see doc tomorrow but I'm so sick with worry I could actually vomit. Could send a pic if it helps?

Looking for reassurance!! Thank you!

@islamann

Im a skin cancer nurse. From the description and photo I would say it would be enough to have it excised. "If in doubt, cut it out." It will be a worrying few weeks but the important thing with MM is to diagnose and treat early. Good luck.

Thank you. Have you seen ones like mine that haven't turned out to be skin cancer? Or am I looking at bad news? If it is skin cancer, does it look like it's at an early stage? Xx

@islamann

Im a skin cancer nurse. From the description and photo I would say it would be enough to have it excised. "If in doubt, cut it out." It will be a worrying few weeks but the important thing with MM is to diagnose and treat early. Good luck.

Do you think there's any chance it could be an subcorneal hematoma as suggested by another poster, or a blood blister? Thank you. Freaking out

@Citygirl2019

I've just been diagnosed with stage two melanoma. I had a mole on my shoulder that had gone darker. I've had the mole removed, but waiting to see a surgeon for further surgery

My advice would be to get any concerns checked.

I'm so sorry to hear that Was your mole anything like mine? Stage two is definitely treatable, right? Xx

I feel like I'm losing my mind. One moment I think that it's going to be ok, and the next I'm certain that this will be my last Christmas. I have two small children and the worst health anxiety you can possibly imagine - both my parents have had cancer and my dad died from it at 40 (not skin cancer though). I'm 39 and live in fear that I'll die a young parent too. Xxx

I went for a checkup when something similar happened and it was a blood blister - but it really needed someone looking at it close up to tell that. My GP said I’d definitely done the right thing by getting it checked out.

Please try not to worry, you’re doing the right thing by getting it checked

@MelonTits

I went for a checkup when something similar happened and it was a blood blister - but it really needed someone looking at it close up to tell that. My GP said I’d definitely done the right thing by getting it checked out.

Please try not to worry, you’re doing the right thing by getting it checked

Thank you. Was it on your foot? Xx

@MelonTits

I went for a checkup when something similar happened and it was a blood blister - but it really needed someone looking at it close up to tell that. My GP said I’d definitely done the right thing by getting it checked out.

Please try not to worry, you’re doing the right thing by getting it checked

Not sure if you saw my pic - was yours similar to that? Xx

OP I mean this kindly - nobody here can tell you what it is. Please try not to worry and wait for the experts.

@rifling

OP I mean this kindly - nobody here can tell you what it is. Please try not to worry and wait for the experts.

I know, I'm not looking for people to tell me what it is - I'm looking for similar stories to reassure me. But I hear what you're saying

@bookworm1982
I will need to have further skin removed along with some lymph nodes. If it has spread that will change the staging. To answer your question, yes there are treatment options abs I'm feeling very positive.

I have learnt a lot over the last few weeks. Please stay off google. It is not up-to-date with current treatment options. Also, remember the stories you read or hear about are the horror stories. People who have been successfully treated are happily living their lives. This makes any social media groups very skewed.

[quote Citygirl2019]@bookworm1982
I will need to have further skin removed along with some lymph nodes. If it has spread that will change the staging. To answer your question, yes there are treatment options abs I'm feeling very positive.

I have learnt a lot over the last few weeks. Please stay off google. It is not up-to-date with current treatment options. Also, remember the stories you read or hear about are the horror stories. People who have been successfully treated are happily living their lives. This makes any social media groups very skewed. [/quote]
I know. I'm torn about Google because sometimes I actually do see something that'll make me feel better, but yes, the majority of it just makes me worry more.

I'm so glad you're getting the treatment you need. You sound very positive and brave xxxx

OP please take this kindly as it is meant to be. I also suffer with anxiety.

You won’t be reassured here. Even if someone came along with the exact same looking mark in the exact same position, which turned out to be nothing - you would still be worried and anxiety doesn’t want to hear positive stories.

Someone’s worst case scenario will affirm the anxious thinking, and make you feel a lot worse.

I’m not going to tell you not to worry, because you are worried and that won’t go away until you know from the specialist seeing you. Worry is normal. Natural. Anxiety feeds off this and makes it irrational thinking.

My advice would be to acknowledge your anxiety, accept that for now you are going to be worried and that’s ok. The anxiety though, well that’s not going to be helpful in getting through the waiting time so outwardly tell it that it isn’t needed right now. Tell it - Thank you for alerting me to my feelings and to the situation and I’m in control of things now. I don’t need you making it worse. I’ve got this. I’m ok. Keep repeating that until you dilute all of the anxious thinking.

You’ve got this.

@BabbleBee that is fabulous advice.

Hi @bookworm1982 I just wanted to check in to see how you are? When is your appointment with the dermatologist?

I have a family history of melanoma, so I know how worrying this can be. Xx

Hi OP… I’m an Aussie and sun-safety is rammed down our necks from a very early age. I have worn 50++++ (Japanese brand) ever since I can remember, and while it’s paid off in terms of skin elasticity and the appearance of my skin, I have had a few “barnacles” removed. (I am also a total sun-dodger.)
I think that you have done exactly the right thing by booking an appointment with a dermatologist. I know how frightening it is to wait and wonder, etc… Dr Google’s going to cause much more worry than the actual truth of the situation, because it’s going to throw a bajillion dreadful possibilities at you and very few common or garden variety moles that most people ignore. There’s a good chance that this is simply an Aplastic Nevus. (Wonky Mole with changed or changing cells.) The derm will probably remove it just to be safe because it is dark and that means that it has potential to change later. (I have one on my boob that has been monitored for years.

@bookworm1982

This is the mole. About 3/4 mm

This looks like a blood blister. It doesn't look like a mole to me at all. Good to get it checked if in doubt though

Thank you. Have you seen ones like mine that haven't turned out to be skin cancer? Or am I looking at bad news? If it is skin cancer, does it look like it's at an early stage? Xx
Yes I have seen plenty which are not cancerous that look the same as yours. Equally though I've seen many that look innocent but aren't. There's no way of being absolutely certain without examination under microscope however hence my advice of getting it removed.

Hi OP. Mind if I join you? I noticed a little brown dot on the end of my toe earlier this year. Then at the weekend I realised it’s got bigger and isn’t symmetrical anymore…sort of looks like someone’s drawn a line through it!

Sent pictures to the GP through their online consultation thing yesterday. They called me up and booked me in for a face to face appt first thing this morning.

However, whilst the doc looked, he couldn’t really tell me anything I didn’t already know (it’s new, bigger and not symmetrical). I’ve been referred to dermatology under the two week cancer pathway so I’m just waiting like you now.

I’m trying not to worry until a doctor tells me I have something to worry about! Easier said than done, though I have had practice at this as I’ve had a dodgy looking mole before. That one had everything wrong looking about it…non-symmetrical, different heights, different colours, large size, was hard to tell due to location but I thought it’d got bigger over time too. Had it checked a couple times by dermatologists and they always said it was fine despite it looking so strange, an atypical mole but benign. Used to freak me out though so I had it removed privately and they sent it for testing and it really was benign. So you can get odd looking ones and they turn out to be totally fine. Still right to get it checked though, the dermatologist will be able to tell you more.

Hi OP, I had a freckle removed from the sole of my foot. They said it didnt look like anything concerning but as a new freckle on the sole of my foot they would remove it, they said they do this for all new freckles and moles on soles of feet and palms of hands and they shouldnt generally appear there. They sent it off after removal and it was just a freckle so no follow up, just had to hobble around for a few weeks and a small scar now

@Row1n

Hi OP, I had a freckle removed from the sole of my foot. They said it didnt look like anything concerning but as a new freckle on the sole of my foot they would remove it, they said they do this for all new freckles and moles on soles of feet and palms of hands and they shouldnt generally appear there. They sent it off after removal and it was just a freckle so no follow up, just had to hobble around for a few weeks and a small scar now

Thank you for letting me know. Did your freckle look like mine in the pic? Cxx

@WiltedDaffs

Hi OP. Mind if I join you? I noticed a little brown dot on the end of my toe earlier this year. Then at the weekend I realised it’s got bigger and isn’t symmetrical anymore…sort of looks like someone’s drawn a line through it!

Sent pictures to the GP through their online consultation thing yesterday. They called me up and booked me in for a face to face appt first thing this morning.

However, whilst the doc looked, he couldn’t really tell me anything I didn’t already know (it’s new, bigger and not symmetrical). I’ve been referred to dermatology under the two week cancer pathway so I’m just waiting like you now.

I’m trying not to worry until a doctor tells me I have something to worry about! Easier said than done, though I have had practice at this as I’ve had a dodgy looking mole before. That one had everything wrong looking about it…non-symmetrical, different heights, different colours, large size, was hard to tell due to location but I thought it’d got bigger over time too. Had it checked a couple times by dermatologists and they always said it was fine despite it looking so strange, an atypical mole but benign. Used to freak me out though so I had it removed privately and they sent it for testing and it really was benign. So you can get odd looking ones and they turn out to be totally fine. Still right to get it checked though, the dermatologist will be able to tell you more.

Of course you can join. We can virtually hold hands while we wait for results What does yours look like? Mine (see pic) is like a kind of "spatter" with funny edges and different colours. It's flat and small though, my only comfort.

Interesting about that other mole, I actually did the same thing about ten years ago, went on and on about this weird mole on my arm which had all the red flags despite them telling me there was nothing wrong with it. So I got it removed privately and it was benign, so they were right, but at least I don't have to worry about that mole anymore xxx

@islamann

Thank you. Have you seen ones like mine that haven't turned out to be skin cancer? Or am I looking at bad news? If it is skin cancer, does it look like it's at an early stage? Xx Yes I have seen plenty which are not cancerous that look the same as yours. Equally though I've seen many that look innocent but aren't. There's no way of being absolutely certain without examination under microscope however hence my advice of getting it removed.

Thank you, this does help xxx

@Justilou1

Hi OP… I’m an Aussie and sun-safety is rammed down our necks from a very early age. I have worn 50++++ (Japanese brand) ever since I can remember, and while it’s paid off in terms of skin elasticity and the appearance of my skin, I have had a few “barnacles” removed. (I am also a total sun-dodger.) I think that you have done exactly the right thing by booking an appointment with a dermatologist. I know how frightening it is to wait and wonder, etc… Dr Google’s going to cause much more worry than the actual truth of the situation, because it’s going to throw a bajillion dreadful possibilities at you and very few common or garden variety moles that most people ignore. There’s a good chance that this is simply an Aplastic Nevus. (Wonky Mole with changed or changing cells.) The derm will probably remove it just to be safe because it is dark and that means that it has potential to change later. (I have one on my boob that has been monitored for years.

Thank you for your advice. Cxx

@Randommother

Hi *@bookworm1982* I just wanted to check in to see how you are? When is your appointment with the dermatologist?

I have a family history of melanoma, so I know how worrying this can be. Xx

Hello, thank you for checking in. I haven't heard from the dermatologist yet, expect it'll be tomorrow or Friday, it's has to be within two weeks though. Xx

@BabbleBee

OP please take this kindly as it is meant to be. I also suffer with anxiety.

You won’t be reassured here. Even if someone came along with the exact same looking mark in the exact same position, which turned out to be nothing - you would still be worried and anxiety doesn’t want to hear positive stories.

Someone’s worst case scenario will affirm the anxious thinking, and make you feel a lot worse.

I’m not going to tell you not to worry, because you are worried and that won’t go away until you know from the specialist seeing you. Worry is normal. Natural. Anxiety feeds off this and makes it irrational thinking.

My advice would be to acknowledge your anxiety, accept that for now you are going to be worried and that’s ok. The anxiety though, well that’s not going to be helpful in getting through the waiting time so outwardly tell it that it isn’t needed right now. Tell it - Thank you for alerting me to my feelings and to the situation and I’m in control of things now. I don’t need you making it worse. I’ve got this. I’m ok. Keep repeating that until you dilute all of the anxious thinking.

You’ve got this.

Fabulous fantastic advise. Thank you for talking the time to write this. ♥️♥️♥️

I'm now telling myself that it's just a blood blister - it might be, it might not be, but that's for or the dermatologist to decide now. But by telling myself it's just a blood blister, I'm finding it easier to cope and push out of my mind, and if it IS something worse than that then I'll worry when they tell me this.

Big hugs to all you kind people xxxx