The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Content within the patient forum is user-generated and has not been reviewed by medical professionals. Other sections of the Melanoma Research Foundation website include information that has been reviewed by medical professionals as appropriate. All medical decisions should be made in consultation with your doctor or other qualified medical professional.

Advice on teenage son’s mole

Forums Cutaneous Melanoma Community Advice on teenage son’s mole

  • Post
    curious12
    Participant

      Hi! I have had melanoma in-situ and so has my sibling.  I have probably had 50+ moles off since ranging from benign to severely atypical (most mild atypica or benign)

      My son is 13.5 and has a small/medium mole on his back. It was a tiny light speck in 2014 and now is 4-5mm dark brown but getting darker. It seems to be changing a bit more rapidly than his other moles but not alarmingly so. It's really his only one on his back. I am inclined to remove as it's coming up on puberty and hard to watch, sun will hit (it's on his shoulder blade so also hard to cover with spf)

      Is that reckless of me to just remove a seemingly normal mole? Should I just have it punched out and be done or have his derm check it with a dermatoscope and if it's fine under that, then leave it. I am sick of checking it and looking at it… one day it looks normal to me and then under other light it looks dark and I want off. My gut is it's atypical….

      Trying to balance my anxiety with being proactive and thinking of the future (Back, hard to see and my history) but I realize it's a slippery slope. He has new tiny blackish one on leg- so maybe I should focus on that lol

       

      Thanks!

       

       

    Viewing 2 reply threads
    • Replies
        KellyH
        Participant

          Get it checked!!!!  My son was diagnosed at age 17 with Stage 3 melanoma from a mole that looked like nothing to everyone that looked at it.  We were completely shocked when the pathology came back melanoma.  Better safe than sorry is what I say. 

          Good luck!!! 

          Kelly 

            curious12
            Participant

              Thanks for your reply. I did have it looked at and derm said it was fine… I still wonder if I should have it checked with a dermatoscope. Sorry about your son's diagnosis! I hope he is doing ok. What did his mole look like and what made you take it off? Just curious since you said everyone said it was nothing… best wishes!

              sharonlynn210
              Participant

                My son also had a mole on his back when he was 18 removed and he is stage 3 . 

                curious12
                Participant

                  Sorry to hear that! What did it look like? Size, color, changing?  I am all about just getting things off but trying to balance it all and wondering how accurate dermatascope is! Best wishes!!

                curious12
                Participant

                  KellyH:

                  Get it checked!!!! My son was diagnosed at age 17 with Stage 3 melanoma from a mole that looked like nothing to everyone that looked at it. We were completely shocked when the pathology came back melanoma. Better safe than sorry is what I say.

                  Good luck!!!

                  Kelly

                  Can you let me know more info? Size? New? Color? Changing? Any history?

                  curious12
                  Participant

                    sharonlynn210:

                    My son also had a mole on his back when he was 18 removed and he is stage 3 .

                    Any other details? How is he doing?

                Viewing 2 reply threads
                • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
                About the MRF Patient Forum

                The MRF Patient Forum is the oldest and largest online community of people affected by melanoma. It is designed to provide peer support and information to caregivers, patients, family and friends. There is no better place to discuss different parts of your journey with this cancer and find the friends and support resources to make that journey more bearable.

                The information on the forum is open and accessible to everyone. To add a new topic or to post a reply, you must be a registered user. Please note that you will be able to post both topics and replies anonymously even though you are logged in. All posts must abide by MRF posting policies.

                Popular Topics