Mole change (photo) absolutely terrified

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I'm 30 and all my life have had 100s of moles that I always have obsessively worried and checked, I always go to the gp and thankfully all have been fine.

Today after finding an old photo of a mole on my phone I decided to compare it today and I've noticed changes and its sent me into a panic, its Sunday so can't call my Gp until tomorrow, is anyone able to calm me? Could it be due to weight gain as its on my lower back? My biggest fear is leaving my children 😞

You will phone your Dr tomorrow and he will no doubt send you for a biopsy. I do know what it is like when you find one that puts you in panic mode. I am the same as you with many moles but you say yourself, you keep an eye on them and don’t leave them, which is in your favour.

It has changed and getting it checked is absolutely the right thing. However I dunt think it ticks the "scary" boxes on the list of things to check. Hopefully the GP will be able to check and refer if needed.

Dh had one that needed checking over the pandemic and it was dealt with perfectly. Phone appointment with GP, sent photos, in person appointment next day, referral to the hospital on the 2 week pathway and he was seen in under the 2 weeks and had the mole removed there and then. Amazing service. Thankfully all came back a benign.

I've been there too but around 20 years ago and also removed and benign.

I am not a medical person but do have one or two that I keep an eye on and my Botox doc who is a skin consultant looks at for free. That looks fine to me compared to what I have seen. Best of luck.

I appreciate the responses. I haven't suffered with bad health anxiety for years its all come flooding back I hate it. Wish it wasn't on a bloody Sunday.

Hello. As a very moley person I feel your pain. But please don't panic. It's more likely to be down to weight gain than anything else. It isn't raised and hasn't been bleeding. It just looks slightly bigger which could absolutely be down to your skin stretching.

Get it checked over by the GP. I go to a mole mapping clinic twice a year because I don't trust myself to notice changes. It means that I can forget about them for most of the time and can let go of some of that health anxiety.

It has changed a little bit, it's a bit irregular around the edges where it was round before, so it's definitely worth getting it checked. But I don't think it looks particularly scary or aggressive or anything. But getting it checked will give you peace of mind.

My DH has a mole on his back that is pretty fuzzy around the edges but it hasn't changed in shape or size for years so the doc just said to continue to monitor.

I have 2 moles on my arms that I am constantly photographing!

This photo helps compare abit more, I'm hoping it could genuinely be down to weight gain just have the agonising wait to find out.

I hate being a moley person.

I've had a few old moles change in their outline and/or size, a couple look as if they sort of split in two, and a batch of new, different-from-my-usual moles suddenly appear on my legs in adulthood. And then one of those changed colour, shape, and size after about 5 years. All have been looked at under dermatoscope and been judged to be fine.

My dad had a mole removed from his face in the 80s or 90s and over the years it grew back through the scar and then kept growing until it was about 2cm across, with a bumpy surface, uneven border, and multiple colours. Another one appeared nearby that was skin-coloured but also irregular and grew even bigger. Both looked awful to me but amazingly showed no signs of anything suspicious under dermatoscope when he eventually got fed up of my nagging and got them looked at. The NHS offered to remove them because he kept cutting them shaving, but there was no urgency and when they eventually did come off histology proved they had been benign.

So do get this looked at but the fact it appears to have changed a little doesn't mean it is a melanoma.

I've had 3 moles removed - one small one on my arm that started to bleed: turned out to be 'changing' but the skin around it was clear. Second one was on my side: no root so they froze it off. Third one was removed last week, large multicoloured and was itchy: currently waiting for the results. The doc said no point just doing a biopsy of it, he preferred to remove all of it. I do get anxious waiting for the results but I am feeling relieved that it's gone! The docs will probably put you on the 2 week pathway. It sounds scary but it's the best/ quickest way to get it sorted so try to feel reassured rather than worried, although I know that's easier to say than do.

Sometimes I wish I wasn't so bloody good at checking things, stomach is doing flips I know I won't sleep tonight!

Thank you for calming me (slightly) nothing I can physically do but wait!

I am also very moley. To me, it looks more like the skin has stretched and spread it out.

How far apart were these pictures taken? Months?

A year and a half I think

Sorry a year

Fellow moley person here. Also had a couple removed and they were fine. Always wear factor 50 etc, etc.

but I’m sure I once read that moley people have longer telemores, which is good for aging. Just checked and current research is still suggesting this

www.dermatologytimes.com/view/moles-more-merrier-fight-against-aging-uk-study-says

Wow some good news regarding moles for once! I cant even write the word into Google without cancer popping up! Thank you for that!

The stress and worry is probably counteracting my 100s of moles lol

Appointment tomorrow so nervous

Hope you get on/got on ok today, OP.

Hope the appointment goes well op

Hope today has gone well

Thanks for checking in, GP wasn't worried and didn't refer me, just said keep checking every 3 months tale photos etc. I've been referred before so it's calmed me slightly that she didn't want to 'just incase' will try not to panic now!

I cant even write the word into Google without cancer popping up!

That's because Google thinks that's all you want to know about, Google knows your search history. You have programmed Google to feed your obsession. When I type mole into google this is what I see. Glad my cats haven't killed any, lately.

Oh, that is reassuring news.

Am pleased for you, OP.

I've had loads of moles all my life (50+ years) and never check any of them - I mean life's already too short to worry about all this stuff. We all just need to accept that what will be will be....

Having lost someone dear to me due to melanoma, I strongly disagree.

In a way it looks like it's maybe a mole starting to fade out due to age. Get it checked but for me looking at that I'd not actually be too worried.