Worried about mole I scratched

[worriedguy918]

Having risk factors such as childhood sunburn and numerous moles, I have been in fear of melanoma for some years. I have quelled this by trying to exercise common sense.

2 years ago I was referred to a dermatologist who inspected my moles and allayed my fears, however a recent incident, largely of my own making, has worried me.

I have a mole on my forearm which has for several years looked normal. At 3mm diameter, it is symmetrical, mostly normal border, no variation in colour, light brown.

I noticed a few days ago a small white speck on the mole. I have seen these in other moles and have scratched these away. I think they are the site of raised hair follicles. Perhaps it was slightly itchy but I cannot confirm this because I don't feel able to comment impartially.

I scratched this white speck away but it took a little effort. 1-2 days later I developed a region of the mole darker than usual I believe due to inflammation/scabbing. Not liking this, I decided to scratch the mole with more effort. The darker region came away but I have also scratched away over 50% of the mole (a very thin "slice"). What is remaining, I expect to form a scab and eventually "regenerate".

What worries me is this:could I have induced spill risk of the tumor? I understand probably not as incisional biopsies are carried out.

What really worries me is could I have removed a melanoma in early stage, and later be growing underneath or metastized without visible sign. I dread discovering in a year it could have spread to the terminal stage without my knowing.

I know this is unlikely because before scratching, my mole looked nothing like a melanoma. It passed the ABCD test and there was no sign of the melanoma: the black, irregular, "cauliflower" look. No growth in size. I am having catastrophic thinking it could have been extremely early stage melanoma - from the dark region I saw, even though this dark region was not black and only appeared a day after the initial scratching.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

If there was a hair in a symmetrical, small mole, then this was most likely just a mole.  In ny case, you can't metastasize a melanoma by scratching it.  Please leave it alone, show it to a doctor, and then get yourself monitored regularly so you won't keep tying yourself up in knots worrying.

Thanks.

Dr. Rockoff

[worriedguy918]

Thanks for your reply Dr. Alan.

[worriedguy918]

I remember now, the white speck was at the end of a hair when I tugged it. So there was nothing untoward about the mole until I started meddling except possible for a slight itch.

[worriedguy918]

Of course I will monitor the mole when it has healed but could I have possibly eliminated a primary tumor but facilitated metastasis?

Thanks in advance