Changes In A Mole Calling Attention
Q: I have a mole on my right side below my waistline and above my pelvic area. It is pink with a head and brown around the edges. it is about the size of a dime. Any idea what this is?
-By Dustin
Reply:
A mole is a small growth on the skin formed when cells in skin grow in clusters. What is the trigger for such a growth is not very clearly known.
A mole may be pink, brownish pink or tan in color. However, its margins are always distinct. Also, it is soft to touch.
If it is a mole, you may not worry.However, if you observe any of the following change, report to your doctor:
- Any change in size or shape of the lesion
- Margins becoming indistinct or hazy
- If it bleeds or oozes out any fluid
- Change in consistency towards a harder feel
- It becomes tender or painful
These changes would require you to visit a doctor for examination.
Take Care,
Buddy M.D.
Hey there. I went to the dermatologist in April and had a full body check. I hadn’t been to a dermatologist for 5 years. I had two moles cut off. Both of them were very small. Smaller than a pencil eraser for sure. The biopsies came back and both were non cancerous. One was a benign flesh colored mole and the other was an atypical nevi, but like I said, neither were cancerous. She wanted me to come back in 6 months, which means I have to go back in October. She said something about monitoring the sites. I am very conscious of things on my body and check myself regularly. I just had a physical 2 weeks ago and my doctor told me all of my moles were fine. Do I really need to go back to the dermatologist now or can I go annually? My insurance is not very good and it is going to cost me about $200 just to have her look. I am still paying off the biopsies from 6 months ago.
The point is to monitor/ closely observe those two sites, particularly the one which had the atypical mole.
You may read above about the suspicious signs to look for. There may be chances of any recurrence, irritation or cancer (though very unlikely, since the biopsies were negative).
If the skin over the two sites look normal, you may go for annual skin evaluations.
Thanks. I had my primary care doctor take a look at it and she said she thought going annually to the dermatologist was fine. She said the site where the mole was removed looked great and like it healed well. There is a tiny tan dot on it but she said that appeared to be a little freckle and I had a lot of little tiny sun spots like that on my back so that one wasn’t concerning. Does that sound like a standard answer?
Even if the mole grew back, what are the chances of it being cancerous since the previous biopsies was clear?
On recurrence of the mole, it is unlikely that it turns out to be cancerous. You may relax and go for annual check ups only.
Hi, I have a few things going on. I had melanoma years ago and haven’t been to see a dermatologist since. Recently I found a flappy mole thing on my labia area, and it has a darkish tip on it. Then, I took my nail polish off my toes and notice 2 of the nails have darkening on them, one of them hurts. I can’t recall any injury recently, and honestly don’t wear closed toed shoes very often. I’m probably just tripping, but could I have melanoma running wild in my body, affecting my toes and vagina simultaneously. Is that something that happens if skin cancer is running wild? Thank you!
It’s very unlikely for the melanoma to run this way. The problem in your toes needs to be dealt with separately.
Hi doctor, so I am a teenager and I recently, well afew months ago, I found a mole/beauty spot on the left side of my stomach the reson I call it mole/beauty spot is because it’s slightly raised on my skin but not a lot, I am quite chubby maybe that is why it feels raised but yeah, it is like a dark brown/ black colour it’s not caused me any pain or anything like that it’s quite small, it’s just I’ve heard a lot about cancerous moles and all that so I am just a little unsure and I have stretch marks on my stomach and this beauty spot/mole is on a stretch mark and the right side of the beauty spot/mole is a little, tiny bit stretched, like it’s still small just a tiny bit patterned if you know what I mean not big or anything just patchy(light), I mean doctor could this be because it’s on a stretch mark, by the way my stretch marks are a pink, red colour, the mole/beauty spot doesn’t seem to irregular or it’s not painful. If you could help me out doctor that would be great thank you.
Is this mole increasing in size with time? Is it smooth or rough?
It’s smooth and no it’s not increased from where I am seeing.
Likely to be a simple mole, not cancerous. If it troubles you, surgical excision may be considered.
Ok thnx doc.
Welcome.