Hi Amber,

I'm sorry you are having this worry & have had to chase up your excision appointment. It doesn't help when you are already under stress.

Before I say anything else I must say - don't Google. The information isn't up to date & it focuses on worst scenarios. Nowhere does it tell you that 75% of patients referred to dermatology are given a clean bill of health, which means that many people have mole excision biopsies that come back clear.

I can't comment on the blue-white dots as I have no personal experience of this - my mole just turned black. However, don't worry to much about the dryness & the elevated level of the mole - these features aren't as important as the the size, colour & shape. 

It could well be that your mole is dysplastic - these moles look particularly dodgy but are benign. However, left in situ they have the ability to turn cancerous in the future so, either way, it's good that your mole is being removed.

As for the location of your mole - until they start to make the excision around the mole they won't know how deep they need to go. The size of the mole on the skin doesn't always equate to the depth of the mole under the skin (a bit like a tree - you don't know how deep the roots go). They need to ensure that they remove tissue a little deeper than the roots of the mole & a little wider around it's circumference so sometimes the wound may be a little larger than first expected. 

I had my mole removed from the front of my shin where there is very little flesh & mainly bone. They thought I may need a skin graft because of this but they managed to do it without in the end. If they thought that the area of your mole was problematic they would have mentioned the possibility of a skin graft - not mentioning this means they are happy they can do a normal excision. Mine didn't cause me anymore pain than the other 6 excisions I've had over the years - another on the shin, the back of my leg, the sole of my foot, between my shoulder blades, my shoulder and on my breast. The sole of the foot was the most painful & that was the local needle rather than the actual excision! You will be given a local which will wear off a few hours later. You will be told to take painkillers (paracetamol & ibufofen) if needed and to rest with your leg elevated, at least for the first 24 hours. It really won't be too painful.

Good luck. I hope you get your appointment & results through quickly. Please let us know how you get on,

Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient) 

Hi Angie, 

Hope you're well. Thank you for your speedy reply! 

Im sorry that you have experienced all of this, but am very grateful that you have shared this with me, it has made me feel much less anxious about the location of my mole and upcoming excision! 

The lady on the phone yesterday said that they are trying to get a surgeon to do another theatre list and I am at the top of the waiting list, so hopefully I will know sooner rather than later! I will update this thread at each stage that I know anything. I know googling is unhealthy, however I know how easy it is to find yourself hours deep into google without even realising. And so hopefully when people do google, this thread may be of assistance, whatever the outcome! 

Best Wishes,

Amber 

Hi, a quick update for anyone in a similar position. I had my excision today and truly it was one of the most least painful experiences of my life. A slight nip when they injected the anesthetic and that was the only minor discomfort! I felt a fair bruised feeling an hour or so later and so took some paracetamol and following this i have felt a few occasions of very slight discomfort but thats all. 

Foolishly I did not ask when or how I should hear about the results, so now its just a waiting game. I was fairly nervous about the procedure, especially the fact that I had to attend alone so didnt have anyone to take my mind of it, but truly the staff were great and the procedure was quick and almost painless! 

Ill post about my results when I hear, either way! 

Best wishes to all,

Amber

Hi Amber,

I'm glad to hear it was a fairly painless experience and that you are now recovering. I would suggest that, if you haven't had a phone call or a letter in 3 weeks time that you contact the consultant's secretary & ask if they can give you an idea when & how you will receive your results. Most hospitals at the moment are averaging a 4 week wait to give results so hopefully you won't be waiting too long.

Good luck & I look forward to hearing from you with your results,

Angie

So I wanted to share my brief story in hope that it might even help one other person. I am 32 years old and going back a year and a half ago I went to get a mole on my finger checked out, I had this mole for a number of years and it was hard to notice because of where it was positioned on my finger but over time it came to my attention that this mole was getting bigger and bigger. No bleeding or itchyness just growing in size and an odd place, i would say I had had this mole for 8 years or so before I sought two opinions, nhs and private and both came to the same conclusion that it was odd looking but not sinister from what they could see and really my decision as to whether to have it removed but suggested it might be worth having a think about. I knew I would have it removed but did not see it as urgent. A year later and I was booked in for my removal Aug 2020, I thought I was going to have a mole removed that wasn’t a great cause for concern and therefore was very shocked to hear that the doctor wanted to see me regarding the results. I was fortunate enough to get these results 24 hours after I was originally told that she needed to speak with me this was still 4-6 weeks after removal. But where my mind went in those 24 hours was to the most darkest of places, I couldn’t resist the temptation of google, I struggled to find the reassurance I was searching for. I let my mind run away with itself and think the worst. It’s hard to keep a lid on things sometimes and it’s something I really struggle with. The doctor advised me that I had melanoma in situ, stage 0 effectively and that they had managed to remove all of the dangerous cells. For a mole I knew I had had for a long time,  and with what I read along the way I had convinced myself it was a million times worse than it was that this news seemed impossible. So moral of the story is, you just do not know what is going to happen and it isn’t always as bad as you think. I will take a lot more caution now in the sun, and continue to get my moles checked a couple of times a year and in my case and im sure a number of others awaiting biopsy results too nothing more than another life lesson.

Felicity

Hi Felicity,

Thank you for sharing your experience! As I am currently waiting on the results of a biopsy of a mole that i have had for years its reassuring to hear that although your news wasnt good news it was the best case scenerio in terms of bad news! 

Im glad to hear that they removed all of the dangerous cells and that this has been a learning experience and not something worse!

Even before ive received my results ive become alot more aware of melanoma and non melanoma skin cancers and the dangers of UV! 

Amber

Hello 

I have been reading through your thread and wondering how you got on? I am awaiting a mole removal and biopsy for a suspected melanoma.

Many thanks in advance.

I have just been to the dermatologist today over a mole that had become raised, he told me it was fine and then asked to check the rest of my moles, he doesn't like the look of 2 of them one is really dark on one and and not a symmetrical and the other is not a symmetrical, I am so worried and scared the fact I went in for them to check one and he said it was fine to find out ones that were not bothering me are the issues. I am wishing with everything I have that I will be ok and get through it all clear 

Hi Aaronr,

Try not to panic - in fact this happens a lot. A mole that looks dodgy may be fine but warning signals may be picked up by a GP when looking at another mole. Although no one, not even a dermatologist, can 100% pick out a cancerous mole with the naked eye, they can decide which ones would benefit from further investigation - it doesn't mean the moles are definitely cancerous, they are erring on the side of caution.

The dermatologist will look at them with a dermascope which shows any change in the cell structure. If it looks fine you will be given a clean bill of health. If they aren't sure, they will arrange to remove them for a biopsy to conclude if one or both are cancerous. 

I hope your appointment comes through quickly and they can put your mind at rest. Good luck and please let us know how you get on,

Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient since 2009)