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Original poster

Changing mole

12 replies

Ellacska · 18/01/2023 00:19

Hi,
I'm not sure if I need to go to GP with this, I have a new mole, not sure how old, but I don't have on my bikini photos a few years ago.
The left side photo was taken in July last year, and the second one is December.
I'm not even sure if this is a mole or a pigment.
Its around 4-5 mm long, under my bra line.

Changing mole
OP posts:
Fizzadora · 18/01/2023 00:23

Yes needs looking at. Pronto.

MyBabyLaura · 18/01/2023 00:24

I've showed a few altered moles to my GP, they told me they don't care unless it's turned black. The dark dot in the centre of it is called a centre. They didn't care when mine grew a second center. It was ages ago and I'm still here. Some of mine are turning pale now along with my greying hair. Never knew moles did that.

Slowgrowingelm · 18/01/2023 00:31

Get it checked. It may well be nothing but you won’t know until you do.

and @MyBabyLaura - go to a dermatologist. Please. While it is possible that occasionally changes will occur that won’t lead to cancer, do you really want to risk it? A GP is just that - a general practitioner. See someone who is a specialist. I say this as someone who grew up in an area with warm summers. Many of my family and friends have had cancers and suspect moles removed. It is becoming far more common here as well.

Original poster
Ellacska · 18/01/2023 00:34

To add:

I'm in my mid 40's, and grew up in a hot country, although I never really sunbathed directly ( I found it boring) when I was young, but having very pale skin, I had quite a few sunburn just to being and gardening etc. outside.

OP posts:
MyBabyLaura · 18/01/2023 04:32

Slowgrowingelm · 18/01/2023 00:31

Get it checked. It may well be nothing but you won’t know until you do.

and @MyBabyLaura - go to a dermatologist. Please. While it is possible that occasionally changes will occur that won’t lead to cancer, do you really want to risk it? A GP is just that - a general practitioner. See someone who is a specialist. I say this as someone who grew up in an area with warm summers. Many of my family and friends have had cancers and suspect moles removed. It is becoming far more common here as well.

In the UK you don't get to anyone more specialised without a referral from the GP, so if they're not worried that's it, no referral. My changes are all years old, GP (not always same one, there's multiple in each doctors surgery and I've also moved home a lot) has seen whatever new change I had and not bothered. If they were anything serious I reckon I'd be dead by now, it's been that long. So I guess their judgement was right. If anything had continued growing or doing anything "bad" (they said turning black, bleeding, a smooth edge suddenly growing raggedy or rapidly increasing in size) then I'd have returned. I'm covered in little red things now too (hernangiomas? I think it's called), GP said it's just getting older, they're nothing to bother about and tons of people have them and was surprised I'd noticed. Being a bit moley I keep an eye out.

Judgyjudgy · 18/01/2023 04:45

Don't waste your time on here, get it looked at asap. A changing mole is a serious

Slowgrowingelm · 18/01/2023 08:09

@MyBabyLaura I live in England, have for decades, I grew up in an area with a thin ozone layer and warm summers though.
A few years ago - my Gp at the time was excellent - I was referred to a dermatologist to get a mole checked out, it was clear.

Two years ago I went to a private dermatologist because I was worried about some patches on my face - small, slightly raised and a little dry/pink. It was going to take ages to get an appointment with my GP so I went private. I have perioral dermatitis but theses patches were different.

I was given a cream that attacks damaged cells, it can be used on cancerous skin cells but can also be used as a type of pre cancerous preparation, on the skin. After a week the damaged cells ‘erode’, they looked pretty disgusting. My father grew up in Northern Ireland and emigrated as a teen. He’s now had something like 6 areas removed from his skin, so I know there is family history and I need to keep my skin checked regularly. You’re probably right, and it’s nothing. But I would push my GP for a referral, just to get everything checked out at least once.

OP - the damage is always from years earlier. I remember reading that skin cancers in particular, can take decades to show up after serious sun damage. You should get it checked for peace of mind.

MyBabyLaura · 18/01/2023 14:47

@Slowgrowingelm I already have peace of mind. I'm fine, please don't worry.

You're describing acktinic keratosis and the chemotherapy cream to treat it. I don't have this. I had a few moles at various times make some changes that don't matter and I have hernangiomas (if that's the correct spelling) which have been diagnosed by the GP and don't require any treatment whatsoever, it's nothing at all like acktinic keratosis which is pre-cancerous cells.

It's great that you can afford private medical care, many can't.

Original poster
Ellacska · 19/01/2023 00:12

Thank you all !

OP posts:
Original poster
Ellacska · 19/01/2023 00:16

I just didn’t want to waste gp ‘s time, I’m not the running to the doctor’s type person.

OP posts:
Original poster
Ellacska · 04/02/2023 22:28

Update

I checked on Skinvision, and came out low risk.

OP posts:
Shadow1986 · 04/02/2023 22:30

I had a similar looking mole. The specialist wanted it removed and tested. It came back fine though. But I’d definitely show mole and the pics to a GP

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