BamaTanya Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 to the dermatologist every month or two? The forties are doing a number on my skin. I always have had a stray mole or two, but they seem to be multiplying. And they're different colors and textures. When I go for my regular yearly exam, I show the newest ones to my dr and he says something like: "That's a seborrheic keratosis" or "that's a cherry angioma" as if it's nothing at all. I don't want to ignore any of my new bumps or marks, but I don't want to panic and rush to the dr all the time, either. When a new one shows up, I'd like to be able to recognize it. To say, "oh, that's another one of those" OR "I'd better get that checked out." Do you know of a site that describes these benign blemishes? I'm seriously thinking of having a dr remove them all so at least I'll know when one is new. KWIM? Also . . . it can take weeks to get in to see a dermatologist, but just a day or two to see the P.A. Can the P.A. remove things or would I have to go back for a followup appt? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevilla Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 You want to see if the mole/mark has irregular borders or is fairly symmetrical. Whether it is small or large. Whether it is changing size/shape or staying the same. A mole that has funky borders and is growing/changing is the biggest red flag. I have a semi-large mole on my neck that used to worry my mom all the time. But it's stayed the same size/shape for several decades and I (and my dermatologist) don't give it a second thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscopup Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Thank you for this post! I've been wondering about those cherry angiomas! I never knew what they were, but I have several around my body. I'm interested in a good site that shows benign vs. not-benign growths also. :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Go to the dermatologist and they will mark each of the moles, their location and size, in your chart. Then when you go for an annual check up, they'll know which are new and if any of the old ones have grown. Don't know if the PA removes them or if they just do the exam, but either way it's good to go for peace of mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 (edited) The Mayo clinic's website has the ABCDE guide and photos about detecting skin cancer. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/melanoma/DS00575 The PA at our dermatologist's office can remove these skin growths, no problem. The smaller ones are easy to remove...it's just a chemical sprayed on the skin to burn them off. Larger ones have to be cut off. I've had this done and no stitches were required. My dr. recommended AmLactin lotion to me. I get the big bottles at Costco and it has really put the brakes on these annoying s. keratoses. (I just checked the AmLactin website and there's a $2 off coupon.) Edited June 30, 2011 by Laurie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sushi's Mom Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I go to the dermatologist every year for a mole check. I have about 200 moles on my body. The dermatologist usually has to cut something off of me each time. 90% of the time, those moles have atypical cells (called dysplastic nevi). I am in the highest risk for melanoma. If the atypical cells appear at the outer edges of the part she cut out, she will have me come back in 4-6 months for a recheck. If the edges are clea, then I go back in a year, unless I am nervous about something. The office sends me a postcard at month 11 so I can call for an appointment. At the moment, they don't have a way to schedule out a year in advance, but they will soon, at which case I will make my future appointments before I leave the office. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Prior link is a good one. If you have a history of dysplasic moles, you're at an increased risk of skin cancer. I have a dermatologist and I see her for a full body check every 6 months. If a mole looks suspicious, we cut it out. I'm hoping that this way I'll catch any skin cancers early. Note also that dark moles on your palms or soles of your feet are definitely ones to have removed. They can turn cancerous very quickly. If you have a question if a mole is changing, take a picture of it and monitor it. A good dermatologist is really useful to have if you have a history of skin damage too. I had a ton of sunburns and now I'm allergic to the sun - fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYoungerMrsWarde Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 Didn't read the other replies and I don't know if this applies, but our doctor said that if it has a hair growing out of it :ack2: then it's healthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabi Sabi Posted July 1, 2011 Share Posted July 1, 2011 I'm another one with a couple hundred moles and I go to the dermatologist at least twice a year. I pretty much always end up getting several removed and have had many of them come back with atypical cells that have required a little more skin to be removed. It generally takes 2-3 months to get an appointment and I just have to plan ahead. If something more urgent comes up (ie: a changing mole and I don't feel comfortable waiting) I've always been able to get an appointment within a few days with the physician's assistant who is in the same office. It can be a pain and I know it's expensive to go so often (especially since we have a high deductible!) but when you're at high risk for melanoma it's just the prudent thing to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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