Moles getting worse, never go in the sun.
Discussion
I grow-up in the Tropics as a kid but never really spent much time bareing my skin to the sun. Always a hat on and shirt, all the norm for a blonde expat.
After 10 years back in UK, one or two moles have started to get aggresive and irritable(the odd one bleeding). Why? They are in really weird places, the belly and near the armpits on the upper inside 'guns'.
I hate going to the Doctors and fussing, is it really, really worth bothering about?
Dave
After 10 years back in UK, one or two moles have started to get aggresive and irritable(the odd one bleeding). Why? They are in really weird places, the belly and near the armpits on the upper inside 'guns'.
I hate going to the Doctors and fussing, is it really, really worth bothering about?
Dave
Get them checked but if they are irritable and bleeding they may still have to be removed but it is unlikely they will be Malignant Melanomas.Moles that turn out to be Melanoma grow in size to around 1cm and change shape and colour(they go blue/purple/red).They dont become irritable or bleed and thats one of the reasons they go unnoticed for many years-and by the time they are noticed it is sometimes too late.....
(I speak as a survivor of Malignant Melanoma-I had it when I was 24,some 16 years ago)
(I speak as a survivor of Malignant Melanoma-I had it when I was 24,some 16 years ago)
Another vote to get to your GP, I was diagnosed with skin cancer late November/ early December ( not a mole, but a rodent something or other) and my first meet with the dermatologist at the local hospital is beginning of March, about 3 months from when I went to my GP with the problem. I always thought cancer patients were supposed to be seen fairly quickly, but there's a long wait before you get looked at. In my case there's a history of skin cancer deaths in the family, best see the Doc, and get on the waiting list for an appointment.
Sure they aren't skintags? last month I had what I thought was a mole near my arm pit, I snagged it while pulling on a tshirt and it started bleeding quite a bit, the next day it had started to go black and about 3 days later, it had came off completely. I went to the doctors to confirm that it wasn't a mole. But yeah as people have said, Get them checked.
Just thought I would bring this back to the top. I live in Western Australia where skin cancer is a serious risk but it should not be taken lightly in the UK, you dont need years of exposure to have a problem.
My FIL had a mole on his neck that was becoming irritated so he went to the doctor who dismissed it as nothing. The mole did not settle down so he returned 2 more times but the doctor continued to dismiss it. This was over a 3 week period.
The doctor had been the family doctor for 25 years so FIL was reluctant to not believe him however we convinced him to go to a specilalist skin clinic...we have lots of 'mole check' clinics here.
As soon as they saw it they were concerened enough to get him in to hospital that day to see a specialist. The mole was removed within a day or 2 and he was booked in for a series of scans.
I believe his first scan was a few weeks after the mole was removed, this scan revealed several growths in his neck. He was booked in for surgery which went well....if you consider a scar from behind your ear to your adams apple 'well'. They removed a big plug of flesh and stapled him shut again. His face slumped on that side and his ear dropped so he looked like he had had a stroke but this returned to normal after about 8 months.
Once he had recovered from the surgery it was straight in to a course of radiation therapy. He had to have a mask made that fit his face perfectly which was used to hold him still during the therapy.
Ironically the therapy causes sunburn so one half of his face was lobster red, he also lost his hair on the side and suffered with constant mouth ulcers and 'cotton wool' mouth.
After the therapy it was more scans and these gave him the all clear however as with everyone that has had a cancer of some sort you need to keep going for scans...I think it was something like 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, 12 months.
Anyway fast forward to January 2010 and what we thought would be the last of the 6 monthly scans.......No. My FIL has got lung cancer (never smoked a ciggy in his life) and is with his oncologist this morning to learn about the joys of chemo.
DO NOT underestimate how serious an bit of an itchy mole can be. Go to the doctors NOW and get it sorted!
My FIL had a mole on his neck that was becoming irritated so he went to the doctor who dismissed it as nothing. The mole did not settle down so he returned 2 more times but the doctor continued to dismiss it. This was over a 3 week period.
The doctor had been the family doctor for 25 years so FIL was reluctant to not believe him however we convinced him to go to a specilalist skin clinic...we have lots of 'mole check' clinics here.
As soon as they saw it they were concerened enough to get him in to hospital that day to see a specialist. The mole was removed within a day or 2 and he was booked in for a series of scans.
I believe his first scan was a few weeks after the mole was removed, this scan revealed several growths in his neck. He was booked in for surgery which went well....if you consider a scar from behind your ear to your adams apple 'well'. They removed a big plug of flesh and stapled him shut again. His face slumped on that side and his ear dropped so he looked like he had had a stroke but this returned to normal after about 8 months.
Once he had recovered from the surgery it was straight in to a course of radiation therapy. He had to have a mask made that fit his face perfectly which was used to hold him still during the therapy.
Ironically the therapy causes sunburn so one half of his face was lobster red, he also lost his hair on the side and suffered with constant mouth ulcers and 'cotton wool' mouth.
After the therapy it was more scans and these gave him the all clear however as with everyone that has had a cancer of some sort you need to keep going for scans...I think it was something like 6 weeks, 8 weeks, 12 weeks, 6 months, 12 months.
Anyway fast forward to January 2010 and what we thought would be the last of the 6 monthly scans.......No. My FIL has got lung cancer (never smoked a ciggy in his life) and is with his oncologist this morning to learn about the joys of chemo.
DO NOT underestimate how serious an bit of an itchy mole can be. Go to the doctors NOW and get it sorted!
pokethepope said:
I have (nearly) literally hundreds of moles, how the hell am i supposed to keep track of all of them?
I think you just need to get in to the habit of checking your own body, I'm sure you would soon get an idea of where they are and what they look like so you would very quickly know if they change. Get your partner to look at others you cant see?Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff