1. < Skin Health

Mole feels and looks different than others

Posted by jfernandez3 @jfernandez3, Mar 28, 2023

I am concerned about a mole that looks different from all the others. My body probably has around 80 tiny moles and most of them are not noticeable. I count 17 moles on my right arm alone but they are all very small. The one I am concerned about is just bellow my belly and is about as big as half of my pinky fingernail. All my moles are circular except for the one that is oblong shaped. When I feel it with my finger, it feels like a small depression on my skin like its sloping downwards like a crater. All my other moles feel even on my skin.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Skin Health Support Group.

Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Mar 28, 2023

@jfernandez3 Welcome to Mayo Clinic connect. Good for you for being aware of a suspicious mole! We are not medical doctors here, and cannot diagnose medical conditions.

In my own personal history, I have had questionable spots that I had to have looked at. Some doctors said "no worry". But when you live with your own body everyday, you notice changes, right? So if you feel this is a concern, please get yourself to your doctor. They might refer you to a dermatologist, or look at the area themselves. Make notes to take in. How long have you noticed this spot? Has it changed shape or color, if so, how long ago? Does it itch or feel uncomfortable?

Will you let me know what they say to you, please?
Ginger

REPLY
di341 | @di341 | Mar 30, 2023

Always pay attention to your skin and listen to your gut feeling! Any changes or things "out of the ordinary" need to be seen by a dermatologist, examined with a dermascope and biopsied.

I had a simple "age spot" on my cheek. Flat and light in color for decades. No big deal BUT looking in my makeup mirror everyday, I noticed it was spreading out, becoming larger. Noticing a CHANGE, I went to my Derm. She wasn't excited about it and termed it a normal age spot but when I told her it was spreading bigger, she agreed it should be biopsied. Surprise, surprise! Melanoma!! I had a wide excision on it with a plastic surgeon bringing it back together with 22 surface stitches. I wear my scar proudly, as it saved my life! Caught in an early stage is everything!!
REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Chris Trout, Volunteer Mentor | @artscaping | Mar 31, 2023

Good evening @jfernandez3 .......Welcome to Connect. I think you can already see what Connect tries to do for everyone and that is to SHARE. That's how we learn about our own conditions. I just have one question for you this evening. Do you have neuropathy?

Oops....I have another question. If you have or think you have neuropathy, have you had any itching in the area of the "mole". Also....is it red around the mole? Does it feel like there is a scab on top? I am dealing with a neuropathy outbreak and so want to make sure you are not in the same boat.

May you have contentment and ease.
Chris

REPLY
katkir | @katkir | Apr 4, 2023

Great that you do skin checks. For those of us who have many moles or other lesions such as seborrheic keratoses, finding a lesion that is different than those around it or than all the others should send up a red flag and push us to get it checked by a dermatologist. Please get this mole checked. Let us know what you find out from your dermatologist.

REPLY
1 reply
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Apr 6, 2023
In reply to @katkir "Great that you do skin checks. For those of us who have many moles or other..." + (show)
@katkir

Great that you do skin checks. For those of us who have many moles or other lesions such as seborrheic keratoses, finding a lesion that is different than those around it or than all the others should send up a red flag and push us to get it checked by a dermatologist. Please get this mole checked. Let us know what you find out from your dermatologist.

Jump to this post

@katkir Thank you for your reply. And, welcome to Mayo clinic Connect! Do you experience seborrheic keratoses? As a maiignant melanoma survivor [surgery in 2008] I am always on the lookout for issues, and recently had several invasive squamous cell cancers removed. In a few weeks my semi-annual skin check appointment will no doubt uncover more actinic keratoses, and perhaps more spots to biopsy. One can never be too careful!
Ginger

REPLY
1 reply
katkir | @katkir | Apr 7, 2023
In reply to @gingerw "@katkir Thank you for your reply. And, welcome to Mayo clinic Connect! Do you experience seborrheic..." + (show)
@gingerw

@katkir Thank you for your reply. And, welcome to Mayo clinic Connect! Do you experience seborrheic keratoses? As a maiignant melanoma survivor [surgery in 2008] I am always on the lookout for issues, and recently had several invasive squamous cell cancers removed. In a few weeks my semi-annual skin check appointment will no doubt uncover more actinic keratoses, and perhaps more spots to biopsy. One can never be too careful!
Ginger

Jump to this post

Yes, I have hundreds of SebKs and sometimes wonder how my dermatologist can separate them from more worrisome skin lesions. I was diagnosed with superficial spreading melanoma on my left posterior upper arm 2 years ago and have skin checks every 3-4 months. So far nothing of new concern.

REPLY
gardeningjunkie | @gardeningjunkie | Apr 8, 2023
In reply to @di341 "Always pay attention to your skin and listen to your gut feeling! Any changes or things..." + (show)
@di341

Always pay attention to your skin and listen to your gut feeling! Any changes or things "out of the ordinary" need to be seen by a dermatologist, examined with a dermascope and biopsied.

I had a simple "age spot" on my cheek. Flat and light in color for decades. No big deal BUT looking in my makeup mirror everyday, I noticed it was spreading out, becoming larger. Noticing a CHANGE, I went to my Derm. She wasn't excited about it and termed it a normal age spot but when I told her it was spreading bigger, she agreed it should be biopsied. Surprise, surprise! Melanoma!! I had a wide excision on it with a plastic surgeon bringing it back together with 22 surface stitches. I wear my scar proudly, as it saved my life! Caught in an early stage is everything!!

Jump to this post

My husband of 53 years survived malignant melanoma at the 1973 because of radical surgery, he was only 26 at the time. Now in his mid 70's has had 2 insitu melanomas removed. Although he has regular check ups, at least 3-4 a year for which suspicious growths which are biopsied, and many barnacles are removed or burned, upon a recent checkup he asked for a small but growing growth on his forehead to be biopsied. Like you, his dermatologist said it was nothing and didn't need a biopsy. We have a Cadillac insurance plan so plan so restrictions were not an issue. He insisted based upon his history and yes it was intitu melanoma.
Your photo is helpful because it demonstrates the variety of ways melanoma manifests itself. None of my husband's melanomas looked like your photo. I'll show him you photo as it educates us on the various ways we can spot melanoma.

REPLY
2 replies
Mentor
Ginger, Volunteer Mentor | @gingerw | Apr 8, 2023
In reply to @gardeningjunkie "My husband of 53 years survived malignant melanoma at the 1973 because of radical surgery, he..." + (show)
@gardeningjunkie

My husband of 53 years survived malignant melanoma at the 1973 because of radical surgery, he was only 26 at the time. Now in his mid 70's has had 2 insitu melanomas removed. Although he has regular check ups, at least 3-4 a year for which suspicious growths which are biopsied, and many barnacles are removed or burned, upon a recent checkup he asked for a small but growing growth on his forehead to be biopsied. Like you, his dermatologist said it was nothing and didn't need a biopsy. We have a Cadillac insurance plan so plan so restrictions were not an issue. He insisted based upon his history and yes it was intitu melanoma.
Your photo is helpful because it demonstrates the variety of ways melanoma manifests itself. None of my husband's melanomas looked like your photo. I'll show him you photo as it educates us on the various ways we can spot melanoma.

Jump to this post

@gardeningjunkie That same thing happen to me. I paid for my own biopsy after 3 drs said the spot was "nothing". It was amelanotic [uncolored/nonpigmented] melanoma. I now have a 32 stitch scar on my right forearm because of it. That was in 2008. Recently I had 2 invasive squamous cell skin cancer surgeries after the dr said it was "nothing". Sigh....
Ginger

REPLY
di341 | @di341 | Apr 8, 2023
In reply to @gardeningjunkie "My husband of 53 years survived malignant melanoma at the 1973 because of radical surgery, he..." + (show)
@gardeningjunkie

My husband of 53 years survived malignant melanoma at the 1973 because of radical surgery, he was only 26 at the time. Now in his mid 70's has had 2 insitu melanomas removed. Although he has regular check ups, at least 3-4 a year for which suspicious growths which are biopsied, and many barnacles are removed or burned, upon a recent checkup he asked for a small but growing growth on his forehead to be biopsied. Like you, his dermatologist said it was nothing and didn't need a biopsy. We have a Cadillac insurance plan so plan so restrictions were not an issue. He insisted based upon his history and yes it was intitu melanoma.
Your photo is helpful because it demonstrates the variety of ways melanoma manifests itself. None of my husband's melanomas looked like your photo. I'll show him you photo as it educates us on the various ways we can spot melanoma.

Jump to this post

I'm glad to be of any help to anyone with this stuff! My friends and family were SHOCKED. Obviously, they see it everyday and no one thought a thing of it.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.