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How to self check for that ugly duckling
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How to self check for that ugly duckling

› Forums › Cutaneous Melanoma Community › How to self check for that ugly duckling

  • Post
    • March 9, 2019 at 1:35 pm
    MLD1973
    Participant

      Hello,

      As you know I have just been diagnosed and have been researching on how to check for the ugly duckling.  My skin nurse advised me she would show me on my first check up after my WLE in May,

      Well, I am trying to educate my self and how to spot any changes, my body has lots of freckles and a handful of moles.. I could play dot to dot!!

      What is the best way to track your moles and freckles and measure any changes?  I wanted to do mole mapping, but there is no facility by me in the UK.

      You advice would be so valuable to me, as I really don’t know where to start, it sounds simple but feel it’s not that simple!

      love and hugs to you all

       

      Mandy x

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    • Replies
        • March 10, 2019 at 3:00 am
        lkb
        Participant

          Mandy, I asked my melanoma doc to have my entire body photographed as a way to check for changes. Too soon to know whether it's helpful, but it's a start.

          • March 14, 2019 at 7:53 pm
          Summer S.
          Participant

            Hello dear Mandy, 

            I think all of us here go absolutely crazy about every single freckle at the beginning of the journey with melanoma. 

            You are not alone :)) 

            My mom is a lovely blonde old lady full of freckles, she is stage IV. Here is what we do to spot ugly ones: 

            1. We see her dermatologist every 1-2 months. She checks her entire body for any suspicious moles and takes a skin biopsy if she found any. She uses a dermascope in the process. 

            2. The dermatologist takes photos of her entire body to compare and see if there are any important changes or evolution. 

            3. I have read that some dermatologists use a mapping methodology where they pin down the size and zoomed  photo of all moles. (We do not do so though) 

            4. Just know that we do our best, but melanoma is not always something we can capture, we have never found the one that caused all of this till now. It is ok and we just do our best. 

             

            I hope this helps, and I wish you find peace of mind soon. 

            Love, 

            S. 

              • March 15, 2019 at 9:20 pm
              MLD1973
              Participant

                Thank you Summer for your lovely reply.  I have taken some pics myself and will do a comparison once a month.  It’s all very daunting and lots of anxiety, as you don’t want to miss anything.  W

                wishing your lovely mum all the best too x

                 

                Mandy xx

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