› Forums › General Melanoma Community › First appointment with dermatologist
- This topic has 6 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 13 years, 8 months ago by
MichaelFL.
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- March 14, 2011 at 1:09 am
Maybe I'm being paranoid but after being diagnosed with a thin tumour back in late 2010, I'm wondering if a beauty mark on my calf may be another melanoma. It's small and round but kinda dark but not black or blue…it's brown. It doesn't fit the ABCDE's of melanoma lesions but not all melanomas fit that mold.
Should I speed up my first appointment with my dermatologist or just see him in April like I am suppose to (which is the 6 month mark post-diagnosis)?
Maybe I'm being paranoid but after being diagnosed with a thin tumour back in late 2010, I'm wondering if a beauty mark on my calf may be another melanoma. It's small and round but kinda dark but not black or blue…it's brown. It doesn't fit the ABCDE's of melanoma lesions but not all melanomas fit that mold.
Should I speed up my first appointment with my dermatologist or just see him in April like I am suppose to (which is the 6 month mark post-diagnosis)?
Also, what will the dermatologist do during that first follow up appointment? Will he look at my skin from head to toe?
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- March 14, 2011 at 1:26 am
Has your "beauty mark" changed? In general, it's actually not too common to have more than one melanoma primary. Only about 8% of the melanoma population do. If you have a lot of moles, I suggest having some type of photos taken so you can monitor your moles that way. Anything that seems to change is a good candidate for a biopsy. If your lesion has looked the same for a long period of time, I probably wouldn't give it a second thought. For me (I've had 3 primaries), change is more important than any of the ABCDE's – unless you use E=Evolve as my onc does.
It's easy to be paranoid after a diagnosis, but chances are your beauty mark is just that. I would probably take a picture of that mole now using a good macro (close-up) setting on a digital camera. Take it in lighting you can duplicate. Then take another before your appointment with your derm. Compare the mole to the original photo for change. You can also have professional photos done that help give you an "independent eye" to watch for change.
The first year after a diagnosis is always the toughest…. hang in there. It will get easier with time.
Best wishes,
Janner
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- March 14, 2011 at 1:38 am
I stare at it all the time but nothing has changed about the way it looks. Not the shape, the size, the colour. But it scares me cause it's kinda dark and I have quite pale skin on my legs so it looks even darker which creeps me out even more.
I know that darker melanomas are less dangerous than lighter once because the malignant cells are still at the surface of the skin…as the melanoma begins to lighten or change colour, that means the malignant cells are starting to go deeper. Damn….I wish I didn't know all this. Life would be a little more simple.
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- March 14, 2011 at 1:38 am
I stare at it all the time but nothing has changed about the way it looks. Not the shape, the size, the colour. But it scares me cause it's kinda dark and I have quite pale skin on my legs so it looks even darker which creeps me out even more.
I know that darker melanomas are less dangerous than lighter once because the malignant cells are still at the surface of the skin…as the melanoma begins to lighten or change colour, that means the malignant cells are starting to go deeper. Damn….I wish I didn't know all this. Life would be a little more simple.
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- March 14, 2011 at 1:26 am
Has your "beauty mark" changed? In general, it's actually not too common to have more than one melanoma primary. Only about 8% of the melanoma population do. If you have a lot of moles, I suggest having some type of photos taken so you can monitor your moles that way. Anything that seems to change is a good candidate for a biopsy. If your lesion has looked the same for a long period of time, I probably wouldn't give it a second thought. For me (I've had 3 primaries), change is more important than any of the ABCDE's – unless you use E=Evolve as my onc does.
It's easy to be paranoid after a diagnosis, but chances are your beauty mark is just that. I would probably take a picture of that mole now using a good macro (close-up) setting on a digital camera. Take it in lighting you can duplicate. Then take another before your appointment with your derm. Compare the mole to the original photo for change. You can also have professional photos done that help give you an "independent eye" to watch for change.
The first year after a diagnosis is always the toughest…. hang in there. It will get easier with time.
Best wishes,
Janner
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- March 14, 2011 at 2:00 am
Since being diagnosed, my derm checks me from head to toe including my eyes.
But……
You know yourself better than anyone. As I do, you may wish to take pictures of the moles you are most concerned about and watch them for "change". You can even date them and copy and paste them next to each other to compare on your computer.
Remember, no one knows your skin like you do.
Keep up those visits and skin checks.
Michael-stage 1b.
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- March 14, 2011 at 2:00 am
Since being diagnosed, my derm checks me from head to toe including my eyes.
But……
You know yourself better than anyone. As I do, you may wish to take pictures of the moles you are most concerned about and watch them for "change". You can even date them and copy and paste them next to each other to compare on your computer.
Remember, no one knows your skin like you do.
Keep up those visits and skin checks.
Michael-stage 1b.
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