Very concerned about moles, not sure what to do?

[charlotte2305]

I always worry about my moles, I have read what to look for and have checked myself, however, most of my moles have the signs that we're told to look for when checking for cancer, asymmetric, variations in color, new moles growing, but I have lots of moles, face, body, arms, legs everywhere. So I have been wanting to go to my doctor to get them checked but feel stupid. Here are my questions:

-- Do I need to have actual signs such as changes, itching or bleeding or can I go just to have them generally checked?

-- If there are about 6 or 7 I want my GP to look at will he do that?

-- I also have some specific questions about a few of my moles to see if I should show him those ones and I want to know if I should be concerned:

1) I have this random brown spot in between my big toe and it looks as if its smudged outwards and faded on one side and it has appeared within under a year?

2) I also have a very large one on my lower back, its the size of a thumb nail and seems to have gotten bigger and darker in the last few years, but its borders are defined, its oval and its color seems pretty even?

3) I had a mole right by my nipple on my right breast, it was normal, round and brown but not raised, I was young and stupid and conscious so I scratched it with tweezers until it bled and a layer had been scratched off and there was a dent, now years later its a peachy/skinish color  and not a symmetrical shape and blurry and it worries me?

4) I have a mole on my left breast at the top which is exposed a great deal of the time, it has only appeared within the last 2 years and has grown to a little bit smaller than the end of a pencil, its perfectly round, all one color and has become slightly raised now?

5) the other ones, about 3 or 4 maybe, just have a darker spot in the middle of them or have blurred edges and the edges are jagged?

I would really appreciate any answers from an expert because I worry about this every day but feel stupid to go to my doctor with so many concerns and not just one mole, can I do that?

[Des_Anson]

Hi, Charlotte.  I'm not an expert, but I've had skin cancer, so I hope my experience can help.  I have several moles and freckles on my body but not a ton.  In 2003 I thought one looked weird and got it checked out.  It turned out to be melanoma (skin cancer) and I was terrifically lucky to have gotten it early.  It was very little, and I felt silly going (my first time) and in fact I almost didn't but it was good I did.

Ever since, I go to my skin doctor for an annual checkup.  All we do is "catalog" my freckles and moles, checking their size, shape, color, etc.  She keeps a log and we do comparisons to see if there are any changes.  If there are any that look strange to either of us, she does a shave biopsy and I find out in a week or two if it's cancer.  The first one was the only one that was cancerous.

I'd recommend a dermatologist (rather than a GP) because dermatologists have the equipment to be able to do a good scan (my doctor uses this kind of hand-held microscope-thing of sorts to look at my skin closely).  Also, dermatologists have experience in the subject.  I'd search for a specialist in skin cancer (which mine is).  So I would recommend a dermatologist to help you out.  And, *yes*, definitely go to a doctor with your questions, they are great!  My doctor is very attentive and helpful when I have a concern, even a little one.  And I understand feeling silly about it, I did too.  

[Pum67]

I'm not an expert sorry but I am sure you can go to a doctor for a general check-up. With a lot of moles you might find it hard to keep an eye on them all so maybe you could invest in a mole map service where they photograph your moles

Make sure you point out the ones you think might have grown in size or changed colour (although if you have picked at it that doesn't count as changing colour).

Also, just because they have some of the ABCDE signs doesn't mean they are melanoma.