JAF007
02-23-2009, 02:20 PM
Hi there,
I went to the doctors today, as I was concerned about three moles, one is non raised, dark brown, smaller then a pencil eraser, and on my scalp.
The second one is on my neck, slightly raised, light brown, with a very small dark brown circle in the centre.
The other is light brown, raised and on my back.
None have (to the naked eye) irregular borders.
It was a trainee doctor, who just had a quick look and dismissed them as being nothing to worry about, as they didn't have the most common symptoms.
I am 28 (male), naturally light skinned, dark hair, and in my teens and early 20's, was sunburnt quite severely on the scalp and face, on several occasions.
If you was me, would you make another appointment, with an experienced doctor, and ask for these moles to be removed and properly diagnosed?
Also, from reading online, it appears cancerous moles in men are most common on the head, neck and back, is that true?
I went to the doctors today, as I was concerned about three moles, one is non raised, dark brown, smaller then a pencil eraser, and on my scalp.
The second one is on my neck, slightly raised, light brown, with a very small dark brown circle in the centre.
The other is light brown, raised and on my back.
None have (to the naked eye) irregular borders.
It was a trainee doctor, who just had a quick look and dismissed them as being nothing to worry about, as they didn't have the most common symptoms.
I am 28 (male), naturally light skinned, dark hair, and in my teens and early 20's, was sunburnt quite severely on the scalp and face, on several occasions.
If you was me, would you make another appointment, with an experienced doctor, and ask for these moles to be removed and properly diagnosed?
Also, from reading online, it appears cancerous moles in men are most common on the head, neck and back, is that true?
Sponsor
Chele60
02-23-2009, 07:59 PM
Hello!
I commend you for taking care of your sking - not many your age do. Keep it up!
From what you are describing, I wouldn't be overly concerned. They sound like typical moles to me, unless there is something you are leaving out that is causing you anxiety. Granted, doctors can miss things, it's entirely possible, and it's always best to go with your gut. But in this case, I think you're okay. My suggestion would be to keep an eye on these 3 moles and see if there are any changes. If so, then definitely go see another doctor. If you are really feeling uneasy, then by all means seek out another opinion. Better safe than sorry! You can always keep an eye on the moles for a couple of months, see how you feel, and see another doctor then. It's what you feel inside and what will give you peace of mind.
Typically - but there are no hard, fast rules - men are more likely to develop melanoma on the torso, and women on the legs. (Mine was at the top of my left knew, so I guess I'm a statistic!) But then, I've known men who have melanoma on their legs, and women who have melanoma on their backs. This is a general statement.
Head and neck melanoma seems to affect both about equally, but with men shaving their heads more commonly now, who knows? What IS true about head/neck melanoma is that it seems to be far more aggressive and more difficult to treat, probably due to thinness of the skin on the scalp. However, DON'T let the mole on your scalp affect you. I have a LOT of moles on my scalp, and they are simply that - moles. Have it removed if it truly bothers you, but remember: if you have a lot of moles, it really is impossible to remove them all.
Good luck, and if you have questions, we're here!
I commend you for taking care of your sking - not many your age do. Keep it up!
From what you are describing, I wouldn't be overly concerned. They sound like typical moles to me, unless there is something you are leaving out that is causing you anxiety. Granted, doctors can miss things, it's entirely possible, and it's always best to go with your gut. But in this case, I think you're okay. My suggestion would be to keep an eye on these 3 moles and see if there are any changes. If so, then definitely go see another doctor. If you are really feeling uneasy, then by all means seek out another opinion. Better safe than sorry! You can always keep an eye on the moles for a couple of months, see how you feel, and see another doctor then. It's what you feel inside and what will give you peace of mind.
Typically - but there are no hard, fast rules - men are more likely to develop melanoma on the torso, and women on the legs. (Mine was at the top of my left knew, so I guess I'm a statistic!) But then, I've known men who have melanoma on their legs, and women who have melanoma on their backs. This is a general statement.
Head and neck melanoma seems to affect both about equally, but with men shaving their heads more commonly now, who knows? What IS true about head/neck melanoma is that it seems to be far more aggressive and more difficult to treat, probably due to thinness of the skin on the scalp. However, DON'T let the mole on your scalp affect you. I have a LOT of moles on my scalp, and they are simply that - moles. Have it removed if it truly bothers you, but remember: if you have a lot of moles, it really is impossible to remove them all.
Good luck, and if you have questions, we're here!
JAF007
02-23-2009, 09:10 PM
Chele60 - thanks very much for the reply!
I will admit at the moment I have been feeling little paranoid, as for some reason I have had all these health/personal problems occur at once, from minor infections, to wrong diagnosis by my last doctor, who said I had ringworm of the scalp when it was in fact Seborrheic Dermatitis, then when browsing online about red patches on the scalp, I read an article on skin cancer....week later I discover a new mole, so I immediately start to have slight concerns.
I only have a few moles, from birth there was one on my back, which was raised, yet I am 99% sure the two other moles are new, as for years I shaved my head with a razor, so I would have noticed them, especially the one by the neck, which is slightly raised.
Years back I went to Australia few times, got severely burnt out there, as well in gran canaria - these days you won't catch me out in the sun unless I have some protection, as really its not worth the risk!
I know this may be a tricky question to answer, yet because of how melanoma generally progresses in stages, would having the moles checked out now or in two months time, be such a long time-scale, as the doctor did say to keep an eye on them and see if they change, so I am happy do this, rather then panic and get them checked right away.
I will admit at the moment I have been feeling little paranoid, as for some reason I have had all these health/personal problems occur at once, from minor infections, to wrong diagnosis by my last doctor, who said I had ringworm of the scalp when it was in fact Seborrheic Dermatitis, then when browsing online about red patches on the scalp, I read an article on skin cancer....week later I discover a new mole, so I immediately start to have slight concerns.
I only have a few moles, from birth there was one on my back, which was raised, yet I am 99% sure the two other moles are new, as for years I shaved my head with a razor, so I would have noticed them, especially the one by the neck, which is slightly raised.
Years back I went to Australia few times, got severely burnt out there, as well in gran canaria - these days you won't catch me out in the sun unless I have some protection, as really its not worth the risk!
I know this may be a tricky question to answer, yet because of how melanoma generally progresses in stages, would having the moles checked out now or in two months time, be such a long time-scale, as the doctor did say to keep an eye on them and see if they change, so I am happy do this, rather then panic and get them checked right away.
Chele60
02-24-2009, 12:10 PM
I figured there was something going on that was causing concern for you. Sometimes when we are hit with multiple health concerns at once, it's easy to let the mind wander to the most serious. That's not necessarily a bad thing, btw! You are still young, and moles will continue to develop. When a new mole develops it is always wise to keep an eye on it and see that it only becomes a mole and nothing more.
If, in a few months, any of these moles seem different to you or you still feel a need to get them checked, do so and don't feel you need to explain. It's your body, it's your health, it's your LIFE!
You've got the right attitude!
If, in a few months, any of these moles seem different to you or you still feel a need to get them checked, do so and don't feel you need to explain. It's your body, it's your health, it's your LIFE!
You've got the right attitude!
dale2035
03-02-2009, 11:32 PM
Hi there,
I went to the doctors today, as I was concerned about three moles, one is non raised, dark brown, smaller then a pencil eraser, and on my scalp.
The second one is on my neck, slightly raised, light brown, with a very small dark brown circle in the centre.
The other is light brown, raised and on my back.
None have (to the naked eye) irregular borders.
It was a trainee doctor, who just had a quick look and dismissed them as being nothing to worry about, as they didn't have the most common symptoms.
I am 28 (male), naturally light skinned, dark hair, and in my teens and early 20's, was sunburnt quite severely on the scalp and face, on several occasions.
If you was me, would you make another appointment, with an experienced doctor, and ask for these moles to be removed and properly diagnosed?
Also, from reading online, it appears cancerous moles in men are most common on the head, neck and back, is that true?
I went to the doctors today, as I was concerned about three moles, one is non raised, dark brown, smaller then a pencil eraser, and on my scalp.
The second one is on my neck, slightly raised, light brown, with a very small dark brown circle in the centre.
The other is light brown, raised and on my back.
None have (to the naked eye) irregular borders.
It was a trainee doctor, who just had a quick look and dismissed them as being nothing to worry about, as they didn't have the most common symptoms.
I am 28 (male), naturally light skinned, dark hair, and in my teens and early 20's, was sunburnt quite severely on the scalp and face, on several occasions.
If you was me, would you make another appointment, with an experienced doctor, and ask for these moles to be removed and properly diagnosed?
Also, from reading online, it appears cancerous moles in men are most common on the head, neck and back, is that true?
dale2035
03-02-2009, 11:50 PM
Hi, JAF,
It sounds like you have 1) a pretty good handle on signs to check out on your self examination, 2) a doctor who is not minimizing your concern and 3) some good input from the blog postings. I did only limited research on this. I was a little more concerned about a spot on the scalp than would have been with three small moles that had not changed much and did not have irregular borders. I brought the spot to my GP who referred me to a dermatologist who, he said, had extensive experience with cancer patients.
I was wondering if your doctor was a dermatologist. I wonder if you told him that you were having trouble shaking your paranoia and would it be appropriate for him to refer you to a dermatologist. It might be reassuring in the future to have a specialist familiar with your baseline skin status. It might be a bit premature, but isn't better to get some ideas on prevention and early detection of potential trouble spots.
It worked for me, but my spot was not big, but bigger than an eraser and had some other characteristics that waved a red flag...not evident in your situation. So maybe asking about the derm doctor on your next visit is the preferred plan. Like Chele writes, you are paying attention to your skin in an informed way. You and your largest organ are going to enjoy a healthy future.
Dale
It sounds like you have 1) a pretty good handle on signs to check out on your self examination, 2) a doctor who is not minimizing your concern and 3) some good input from the blog postings. I did only limited research on this. I was a little more concerned about a spot on the scalp than would have been with three small moles that had not changed much and did not have irregular borders. I brought the spot to my GP who referred me to a dermatologist who, he said, had extensive experience with cancer patients.
I was wondering if your doctor was a dermatologist. I wonder if you told him that you were having trouble shaking your paranoia and would it be appropriate for him to refer you to a dermatologist. It might be reassuring in the future to have a specialist familiar with your baseline skin status. It might be a bit premature, but isn't better to get some ideas on prevention and early detection of potential trouble spots.
It worked for me, but my spot was not big, but bigger than an eraser and had some other characteristics that waved a red flag...not evident in your situation. So maybe asking about the derm doctor on your next visit is the preferred plan. Like Chele writes, you are paying attention to your skin in an informed way. You and your largest organ are going to enjoy a healthy future.
Dale
Arggg
03-15-2009, 02:47 PM
It wouldn't hurt to get them removed anyway, just to put your mind at ease. Make sure they remove the ENTIRE mole, not just the surface. Trust me on this.
People get "paranoid" nowadays very easily, because of all the scare tactics used by the media. There's nothing wrong with you and you're not overreacting. Moles can change, and it's wise to get rid of them before they turn into something else. If you have insurance, they will probably be covered.
Be firmly polite with the doctor - it's YOUR BODY.
People get "paranoid" nowadays very easily, because of all the scare tactics used by the media. There's nothing wrong with you and you're not overreacting. Moles can change, and it's wise to get rid of them before they turn into something else. If you have insurance, they will probably be covered.
Be firmly polite with the doctor - it's YOUR BODY.
Oleander53
03-16-2009, 02:30 PM
If I get a new mole or anything suspect I ask to have it removed due to my family history. Even though none of my Dad's melanoma's were moles. My brother's melanoma was one he had had all his life on his shoulder.
Do not be worried but be pro active. I have slowly had many moles removed over time. Just to be safe. I have had too much sun at the beach, sunburns from skiing over the years and family history.
See a good Dermatologist and if any of them bother you or you have a feeling about them ASK to have them removed. Make sure they remove the entire mole and send to Pathology for a reading to be sure.
Good Luck. Oleander
Do not be worried but be pro active. I have slowly had many moles removed over time. Just to be safe. I have had too much sun at the beach, sunburns from skiing over the years and family history.
See a good Dermatologist and if any of them bother you or you have a feeling about them ASK to have them removed. Make sure they remove the entire mole and send to Pathology for a reading to be sure.
Good Luck. Oleander