HELP!! Mole looks like it may come off!!! - Cancer: Skin Message Board

angelduncan1 · 05-01-2005, 03:03 PM

Hi,

I need help. I am praying for the best outcome. I have a mole that looks like it is about to fall off. I first noticed this mole when i was pregnant. It was flat. Now three months later, it looks like it is about to come off. It is black and very hard. I am a very dark skinned african american woman. The mole is irregular shaped. I know that the survival rates for african american is very small with melanoma. HELP!!!

I am going to see my GP in the morning. I am just so upset!!

irisrose · 05-01-2005, 03:53 PM

Could it be a keritosis? I got 3 of them while I was pregnat with my twins. They are caused by hormones and look flat, kind of rough on the surface and look like they've been pasted onto your skin. If it's a keritosis, it may well just fall off. Plus, keritosis is totally benign. Good thing your doctor is going to look at it to give you peace of mind. But it sounds like what I had when I was pg. I ended up having mine froze off.

Good luck and let us know what you find.

angelduncan1 · 05-01-2005, 04:01 PM

I am not sure what a keritosis is? I know that my mole looking thing is black, irregular, and very hard. It look like it is hanging on by a thread. It did not look like this a few months ago.

Thanks

Halls · 05-01-2005, 04:45 PM

I would just pull it off if it is hanging by a thread. I get these type of skin tags often and I just pull em.

irisrose · 05-01-2005, 05:02 PM

Well, a keritosis can sometimes even be mistaken for a mole. Mine, however were probably about the diameter of a pea and were very dark brown and flat. There is a difference between them and a mole and mine even looked loose around the edges, like I could put my fingernail underneath it and pick it off. I couldn't however, so had them froze off. Since you are African American, I would assume that your keritosis could be very dark, darker than your skin. Try not to worry too much until you talk to your doctor. I'd don't think I've read or heard too many stories about melanoma just falling off.

Try doing a search for keritosis and you may even find some pictures. Or search keritosis and pregnancy. I know many women get these when they are pregnant. Maybe your hormones are just going back to normal and this thing is changing and will just fall off on it's own. I'd still see your dr. and if it does fall off, keep it and show it to him/her.