I have this small red spot on my back/side that has a symetrical oval shape surrounding it that's a lighter color. the spot is about the size of a marker tip and the oval is probably about the size of the pad on your index finger. it's on a part of my back that i see in the mirror often so i know it hasn't been there for longer than a week or so (or at least not big enough for me to notice it). it doesn't look anything like any skin cancer i've seen pictures of... should i go get it checked out? also, i've always had a lot of acne on my back... but this looks different, and isn't in an area that i typically get acne. oh and it's also an area of my back that NEVER gets any sun (i don't go out without a shirt on or anything) and i don't think i've ever been sunburned there in my life.

i don't have insurance and have never been to a dermatoligist before... is an appointment expensive?

Does it look like a bullseye? You havent had any ticks on you recently have you? A bullseye on the skin can mean lyme disease, but I am not sure though.

michaelfloyd,
Like other specialists, dermatologists' can run in the lower 100's as far as bills go. All depends on what is done. What is your life worth???
Positive4U :)

hmm... well... it's not a matter of "what's my life worth"... because i mean, that's obvious. but what does matter is that i don't have insurance and i am very broke... so i don't know what to do. if it weren't a money issue i wouldn't even be posting on this board, i'd just go to the doctor. but, situations as they are, i wanted to post here to see if anybody could give me any helpful information.

and Keplicas2: it does somewhat look like a bullseye... but nothing like the pictures i've seen of lyme disease... it's not a rash or anything... it's just a small red spot with a ligher colored border around it. i guess it does kind of look like a bug bite, but i'm pretty sure that's not what it is. it's not irritated or anything like a bite would be.

thanks for the replies though.

Hi Michael
I'm no mole expert but I've had a malignant melanoma & what you've got doesn't sound much like one of those. I'd say keep an eye on it & see if it changes. An Aussie once gave me a good tip of covering your mole with a piece of see-thru plastic & draw the shape of the mole/blemish on the plastic. After that, all you have to do is put the plastic over the mole & instantly you know if it has grown.

If it changes in any way - colour, size, shape, starts to itch, flake, bleed etc. see a doc but if you can't afford a doc just now then just keep an eye on it.

Sorry I can't advise on costs of seeing a dermatologist. I'm in the UK.

Best wishes.

Lidia :)