Mole worry

[Mummyto2123]

Before I go to my gp and worry myself silly I need someone to help me calm down. I suffer really bad health anxiety and have been doing so well until the mole on my shoulder became slightly itchy. I stupidly googled and have convinced myself it's skin cancer. I've had it for as long as i can remember but I'm not focused so much on it. Does anyone have anything similar? Does it look worrying or normal?

Yesterday I got a call from the private hospital offering me an appointment on Monday which i declined but then I started to panic thinking does the consultant think it's bad of she's offering me a sooner appointment when in reality she probably had a cancellation. I'm debating on whether to have it removed at all as others have said it won't fix my anxiety. My appointment at the other clinic is on Wednesday so I need to decide what I want to do

If it’s irritated then removal isn’t a bad idea at all. But you need to see your GP about the anxiety.

Why did you decline? Because you know this bump isn’t cancer? So you don’t want the discomfort of removal? Don’t be fooled by the timeframe. NHS lists build and build til someone does a Siobhan McSweeny eyeroll and goes ‘Fine! Release the cash!’ And you get an NHS appointment in two days as the privately contracted clinic goes ‘Yessssssss’!

But how long have you spent telling us you’re convinced it’s cancer? Then, given the opportunity to actually check (it isn’t)- you go ‘No!’

You actually do need to get a grip. Our new Labour government, voted for, or not, are losing patience with all forms of non-physical disability.

I’d just get it done. Then it won’t cause you any more pain or stinging, and you can therefore get on with your life.

I declined because I can't afford to pay over £1000 right now. I have an appointment at a clinic next week to have it removed and haven't cancelled my appointment I was just thinking about waiting.

Why did I have to watch Katherine Ryan's tik tok post! I feel like this is a sign for me.to get a second opinion

It’s not a secret sign. Your mole has been examined by a professional in their field and it’s fine

OP looks at the key facts of her story; she was diagnosed once at an early age and now has had a second occurrence so she's clearly genetically predisposed to melanoma (unlucky for her). Also, she mentions that hers was red and changing and new (she said it had appeared in the last few years). So while it didn't look visually like melanoma, she's actually hit three separate risk criteria for melanoma there.

Yours does not fit this criteria. It's only been red or tingling when you have made it so by constantly messing with it.

You haven't mentioned who is removing it next week for cheap. They're presumably not doing testing on it once removed, are you not going just to go through all this rigmarole and then panic that you've not had it tested and end up in the same place as you're in now? (I say this because I know how anxiety works)

It’s not a sign FFS! Stop with all the drama and just get it removed at your appointment on Wednesday. And then you can find something else to fret about.

My appointment has been moved to next week. I just wanted to ask if anyone has this. I applied fake tan tonight and I've noticed a white ring around the mole?! It won't go on at all?

Ringworm

OP you need to wait for the appointment. And contact your GP about your anxiety.

No it’s not 🤦🏽‍♀️

Hey op I’ve had moles removed and also fake tan a lot. This looks quite normal after, but if you are feeling anxious email your GP surgery in the morning with a photo of it to reassure yourself. I’m sorry you’re going through health anxiety, and seem some not so helpful replies on here. Hopefully in time you will feel better soon. I use to have it many years ago, but luckily it’s gone.

If clothes are rubbing that area perhaps the skin in that area is just a bit more dry / irritated so the fake tan isn’t sticking there. (I don’t know anything about fake tan).

I've read that it can be a halo nevus? But these can be concerning with people my age, 37?

You need to stop reading up on worst case scenarios. This is a part of the health anxiety. Contact your GP about the anxiety. If it wasn’t this it would be something else that worried you.

It looks like a basal cell carcinoma to me.

@JitterbugFairy
Do you have expertise in diagnosing BCC?

I've had it checked with the dermatologist and she said its fine it's the white ring around it that was worrying me now

My husband has had 2 removed from his face over the years .He's fine. It's the dip in the middle that makes it look similar to my husband's.

It's a normal shape so it's probably fine. Just get gp to look over it. I have one my back it was itchy and it actually has white bits in it, I went to gp she took one look said it's fine that was that. It does itch sometimes now but that was years ago I just keep an eye in case it changes. When your pale having moles is parr for the course unfortunately.

It’s worrying you because you have health anxiety. It’s the anxiety you need to address.

Didn’t you say you put a bandaid over it? Is it where the sticky part of the bandaid was perhaps?

I'm really trying to take my focus onto something else. Does anyone have any tips?

What would work for you? Go for a walk? Read a book? Chat to a friend? Get some exercise? Meditation or mindfulness techniques? Learn something new?