What is a traumatised mole?

[Limeslime]

Two months ago I scratched off what I thought was a skin tag behind my knee. The area got scabby and infected and the gp prescribed a topical antibiotic.
In place of the skin tag I now have a flat “mole” which is shaped like a dog on a leash! It measures 4mm and is brown in colour.
I’ve been to see a dermatologist at the melanoma clinic who said she thinks it is a traumatised mole and gave me some steroid cream for the inflammation in the surrounding skin BUT she wants to see me again in four weeks!
I’m beside myself with worry as to why she wants to see it again!
From what I’ve read online, traumatised moles are usually risen and not irregularly shaped! I’m terrified that she thinks it is melanoma but is trying to downplay it so that I don’t worry. My anxiety is through the roof and I don’t know how I will get through the next four weeks!
Can traumatised mole be diagnosed by dermascope or should I prepare myself for a biopsy?

[Limeslime]

Thank you for replying. My appointment has now been and gone. A consultant dermatologist looked at it and said he isn’t concerned and that it looks fine! They took medical photos of the mole at my first appointment and compared them at my second appointment and said it actually looked better.  Apparently it’s just a mole that grew back through scar tissue, hence the irregular shape.
The ‘skin tag’ wasn’t itchy before. It had an ingrown hair in it that I was trying to retrieve. Stupid really!

[cloverspirit]

Hello! I'm sorry you have this new worry.

I'm also surprised the clinic didn't biopsy the spot in the first visit. A "traumatized mole" is only an injured mole. However, no one has confirmed that the spot is a mole. That you'd thought you had scratched a skin tag suggests to me that you weren't aware of the spot until it irritated you. To be blunt, an unfamiliar, itchy skin growth isn't a great sign.

Topical steroids can (not always) cause harsh side effect. In my opinion, the practitioners should have discussed the risks and benefits of a biopsy if an unfamiliar "mole" is giving you trouble.

My advice is to prepare for a biopsy.

Please in mind when you do that atypical cells that *aren't* cancerous can act like cancer. Less aggresssive cancers such as basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) show up in a variety of forms. (I've had four diagnoses of BCC to date. Each case acted and looked different.)

A biopsy can give you peace of mind.