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Is this Melanoma (picture and another condition)?

(5 posts)
  1. Bec
    Member

    From what a can see, you have a very large mole on your scalp that may or may not be skin cancer. Just by looking at a mole, you cannot necessarily say it is a melanoma. If the mole has changed (gotten bigger, its shape has changed, the color of is has changed, it starts to hurt or itch), then that is suspect of a melanoma.

    You really need to get it checked out by a doctor. As for your other problem, which sounds complicated by the fact that you have hypothyroidism and your other nervous system disorder (that also needs to be checked out by a doctor). You should not diagnose yourself by what you read online. It is very misleading..

    Posted 2 years ago #
  2. Rae
    Member

    I would get to a dermatologist for sure. My Gram had a brown spot on her cheek for years. I did her hair every week so I watched it. It did seem larger so I made her go to the Dr. It was melanoma and we caught it before it had turned deadly. She had the skin removed from her cheek and replaced with skin from her collarbone. So it is worth getting it checked.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  3. farmchick95
    Member

    I have had this for many years. I'm 15 years old. I had my parents look at it again (I went in to the doctor a few years ago to have it checked out) and they said they think its definitely bigger. It's half an inch big. The picture was taken yesterday. Plus, I think I have something called Acanthosis Nigricans
    (discoloration of the skin) The discoloration has been around since I was about four. But it was only in my hands a little bit. Now it has spread all over my body. It's a bluish greenish gray that looks like dirt kind of and its on my ankles,heels, calves, thighs, knees, groin area, forearm, upper arm, armpit and hands. It's really bad. Do you suspect this is Melanoma? I read that if you have hypothyroidism (which I have) and problems with your brain (I have a very very rare condition where my pituitary gland doesn't recognize that my thyroid hormones.)

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/farmchik1/4372123097/

    Posted 2 years ago #
  4. Mr. Sunshine
    Member

    It would be time to see a dermatologist to get all of your conditions checked out. A dermatologist may have treatments or advice that a general practitioner may not have. I can't say the mole is melanoma but I do not like the way it looks so get it checked out.

    Posted 2 years ago #
  5. Joanna A
    Member

    While it is impossible to say for sure what this mole is without having it biopsied, it think it looks suspicious enough to suggest you see a dermatologist about it. When looking a moles, a good way to determine if they may be melanoma is by using the ABCDE's of melanoma:

    A = asymmetry: if you could fold your mole in half, would the two halve pretty much match up? While yours looks mostly round, it's definitely not a perfect circle, so I'm a little suspicious.

    B = border irregularity: does the mole have a definite margin, can you tell completely where the mole stops and normal skin begins? If not, it is more likely to be cancerous I can't tell by looking at this picture of yours, so have your parents take a closer look.

    C = color irregularity. Is you mole the same color throughout? It is more suspicious if it has 2 or more colors. While yours definitely have at least 2 colors, it does not have an area of central clearing, which would make me most suspicious of a melanoma.

    D = diameter >6mm or 1/2 inch. Compairing with the size of your tthumb it looks like your mole may be larger than 1/2 inch in diameter.

    E = evolution. Has your mole changed. While moles will grow as you to, their growth should not be out of proportion to your own. Ask your parents about this one, too.

    Since you have 3-4 of these signs positive, it think it is a good idea to have your mole checked out. However, on a rreassuringnote, melanomas are generally found on sun exposed areas, and since this mole is on your scalp, it is less likely to be malignant. However, since this is not always the case, get it checked out.

    Also, as for the acanthosis nigricans, this is a benign skin change usually noted to be a dark brownish black color and have a vvelvetytexture, and found most often on the back of the neck and in the groin area. It is very commonly seen in people who are overweight, and is associated with insulin resistance, which can lead to type II diabetes. Since you are only 15, it think it would be a good idea to ask you doctor about this as well. You should also make sure your that your hypothyroidism is well controlled by getting your T4 levels (not TSH) checked regularly since you have central hypothyroidism. If you are not already, I think you should be seeing an endocrinologist as well.

    Good luck with everything, and I hope this helps.

    Posted 2 years ago #

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