Old mole new scab - Any Advice

FormerMember
FormerMember
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Hi guys

This is my first post but Im not completely new to the forum. I've read lots of articles, etc on here.

I'm looking for a bit of advice/reassurance about a mole my wife showed me this morning.

She's had an unchanged mole on her back as long as I've known her, which is 16 years. It's 5mm in diameter, perfectly symmetrical, very neat borders and is a single colour light brown colour in the middle of her back. It's never inched or hurt or bled, etc. She's white but with dark skin, very dark hair and dark brown eyes. Her mother is Portuguese. She's (my wife) got about 5 of these moles that look very similar on her body. She's got about 20 to 30 small moles on her body. None atypical. As far as were awarw, no family history of melanoma. We're both 30 years old.

This morning there was a scab she felt on the mole. It's slightly darker than the rest and is in the middle. It looks and feels like a scab and if it was on her skin, I wouldn't think twice about it. It's just where it is. She said she noticed it two days ago. I don't recall seeing the scab at all. I saw it about a week ago and it was fine. It's not bleeding or anything else.

My wife says she thinks it may be a new bra she has where the strap covers the mole where her old ones don't. 


She's going to make an appointment with her GP at my request. She wants to leave it a week or so and see if it is a scab and if it goes away.


What would anyone with any experience in this area recommend? Give it a week and see or go in straight away? 


I struggle with this type of thing stressing and worrying but she's not really concerned to be honest.


Any help would be appreciated.


Many thanks


JS

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Jimmy

    My husband is now terminal and on palliative care after me seeing a mole 3 years ago. 

    Don't mess about ...go to the doctor tomorrow and make sure you get a referral under the 2 week rule. You cannot be too careful with this dreadful disease. 


    Do not be a patient patient!!


    Early intervention is imperative. And if it's just a mole then ok. Do not let GP shave it or pick at it..many of them haven't seen a melanoma. You need to see a dermatologist - like now.


    If that GP won't refer you ask to see another!


    Good luck!

  • Yes definitely get it checked out. I had a mole on my leg that gave me no trouble, no scab, no bleeding etc but it was very dark and irregular in shape. I ignored it for years until nagged by a family member to see a doctor. I now have a malignant melanoma to go with my bowel/liver cancer. No connection between the two. I am just 'unlucky' according to the doctors. Please tell your wife to get it checked asap.

    Diane

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hello JS I have malignant melanoma. My sister noticed my mole on my back in September last year and said you should get that checked. I didn't. In December it started to itch so I went to the GP. I consider myself lucky, stage 1, but aggresive, so an appointment every 3 months for 5 years. It could have been very different. Why wait? Go now. Make sure she gets a referral. Good luck x

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    Yes do not mess about 1st noticed mine left for a week then went to doctors.

    Hopefully caught mine early stage 1 with 0.4 thickness.

    Never put it off it could save your life.

    Craig

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    Many thanks for the replies everyone. It's really appreciated.

    She's made an appointment to see the doctor tomorrow. Hopefully all ok


    Many thanks


    Jim

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    Please let me know how she goes on.

    Craig

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember

    Hi,

    In my opinion she should get it seen as soon as possible. I was in exactly the same position and the mole turned out to be malignant. It was excised and then tested after which the hospital did a further excision and tested the sentinal lymph node which was clear.

    I was checked regularly by dermatology for 3 years BUT this was only a skin check and unfortunately last year I went down hill fast and was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma. Turns out the lymph node check is not the most reliable way to see if it has spread.



    So, get it seen quick.


    Paul

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    Glad she is getting seen.  

    Mine stayed the same for five years then over a period of 2 weeks (or that I saw) changed dramatically.  

    If I hadn't have gone I'd be dead, no question.  

    Stage 2c, 4.2 mm deep and a mitotic rate of 6,0, nicely positioned on my chest ready to go under my arm and to the lymph glands.

    I was very lucky as whipped it out in time.  It was changing fast.  Sounds dramatic but it was.

    Chances are it will be nothing at all but at least you'll know.  I'm the kind of person who doesn't like a fuss or to bother others.  You can't be like in this situation.

    You've done the right thing.

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    Hi guys

    I tried to update this yesterday but I don't think it's got on.

    After having to cancel the appointment she made, my wife went to the doctor yesterday. 


    He said that as the mole was, he had no concerns. He said it looked fine. However, I sent her a picture I took of it with the scab on and he looked at it and said best to get the checked so has referred her to a dermatologist.


    I'm very concerned about this and I'm not sure about the procedure. My wife is not concerned at all. Is anyone able to tell me the process in the UK for referrals to a dermatologist? What happens next, will it be sent for tests, etc.


    The reason I started looking and paying attention to moles is that a good friend was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma that has spread to his lungs. He sadly died last week after a 2 year struggle. 


    It's all got me very worked up to be honest. Especially as my wife thinks I'm making something out of nothing. If it was left to her, she wouldn't have gone.


    Many thanks


    JS

  • FormerMember
    FormerMember in reply to FormerMember

    I forgot to say, the scab fell off a day after I saw it and the mole has been fine since. 

    Thanks


    JS