Saturday, 31 October 2009

  • Check Your Moles!


    (This is the mole on my arm, it looked darker in real life.)

    A couple of weeks ago I went to the dermatologist to have a couple of moles removed.  I had to point them out to my doctor because they weren't significant enough to notice really.  One was on my face a couple of inches from my  left eye, it was kind of dark, slightly raised, slightly assymetrical, and barely half a centimeter in size.  The other mole was on my left arm, closer to my shoulder than my elbow.  This one was also dark, assymetrical, not raised, and about the same size as the one on my face. 

    I made the decision to get them removed because I live in a very sunny place and I am quite aware of the dangers of sun damage.  The doctor told me that they looked slightly abnormal but that he didn't suspect anything was wrong with them and I didn't have any family history of skin cancer except for my great-grandfather who had a melanoma removed in his 60s.  Despite this, he thought that it would be a smart choice to get them removed and biopsied just in case.

    I was very nervous before the biopsy.  Not about the precedure but about the needle they would use to numb my skin.  I loathe injections like some people hate spiders or heights.  I warned the doctor that I sometimes pass out during procedures involving needles and he could tell by my voice that I was nervous.  I must say that he handled it very well.  He kept up a conversation with me through the whole procedure and made sure I was distracted so I didn't pass out.  He also had me lay down for 15 minutes after the procedure and made sure I wasn't dizzy or anything before I could leave.

    All in all, it wasn't really that bad.  I wish I wasn't as nervous as I was.

    He used a small needle to numb the areas.  I'm not going to lie, the numbing agent he used (lidocaine, I believe) kind of felt like fire going through my skin, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. 

    For the mole on my face he performed a shave biopsy.  This is a less abrasive procedure that he was able to do because the mole was slightly raised and not very deep.  He numbed the skin and literally used a razor blade to shave it off.  I couldn't feel a thing and when he was finished, he placed a gel like substance over the wound and covered it with a band aid after putting the mole into a tube to send off to the lab.

    The mole on my arm was a little more complicated.  Instead of a shave biopsy he had to perform a punch biopsy because it wasn't raised and he could tell by looking at it that it was deeper than the mole on my face. A punch biopsy is a procedure where they take a plug of your skin by using something that sort of resembles a hole puncher and close the wound using stitches.  I couldn't feel this either except for a little tugging and it only took three stitches to close it up.  He placed the plug of skin in a little tube and put some gauze over the stitches.  My arm was a little sore for a few days after but, I expected this to happen.  I mean, he sewed up my skin!

    I was told to apply hydrogen peroxide and apply an antibiotic ointment to the areas for the first 48 hours after the procedure and to avoid water on those areas for the first day after.  After that I just had to apply the antibiotic ointment and cover them with a new band-aid.  Twelve days later I went back to have my stitches removed and to get the results of the biopsy.  When the nurse removed the stitches all I felt was a little pinch and it was over!  The biopsy came back normal (thank goodness!).

    The doctor says that the mark on my face should go away in a few months but that the one on my arm might leave a little scar.  I'm not really worried about the mark, it's in a place that's not really visible and it could be an interesting story (if I'm super desperate for a conversation starter, lol).

    So that is the story of my mole removal.  I think it's really important to be aware of any abnormalities that could be a threat to your health so I hope that after reading this, people won't worry about this kind of procedure or hesitate to have their moles checked.  I know that I like to know what I'm getting into before I do it and I wish I could have found a step-by-step guide like this one.

    Have you ever had a mole removed for fear of it being cancerous? What was your experience like?

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Comments (23)

  • seedsower@xanga

    You explained it well, I just had one removed from my leg (punch) and arm (shave) it was just like you said,  The biopsy came back normal for both also.
  • FindingxPerfection@xanga

    I'm getting one removed from my back around Christmas time, but it's a lot bigger than yours. Mine is going to be 3-4 surgeries total, and I'm going to be knocked out cold for the entire procedure. They're taking out football shaped slices from the center and then stitching the skin back up. Then I have to be wrapped up for a few weeks and I can't exercise or exert myself too much. Otherwise I'll get a scar that's the exact same size and shape as my birthmark.

    They have to do it in sections because it's too big for one procedure. If they did it all at once I'd have to get a skin graft, and there'd be a lot more complications. Icky icky.
  • niltiaCmAI@xanga

    I guess the original pictures I had posted were too gory .  On my blog I have pictures of the stitches and what my skin looked like after the stitches were removed, in case anybody is interested.


    @seedsower@xanga - Thanks!  I'm glad your results came back normal.  Even though I thought that mine would come back normal, the wait to find out was still nerve-wracking.


    @FindingxPerfection@xanga - Wow.  I think I'd want to be knocked out for a procedure like that.  I hope everything goes well for you!
  • unfx@xanga

    i'm considering getting a mole removed on my arm. i dont like the sounds of that punch procedure though. this is a really helpful post! 
  • niltiaCmAI@xanga

    @unfx@xanga -  Haha, it's really not that bad.  I wouldn't hesitate to do it again if I was worried about another mole.  Thanks!
  • azashi@xanga

    i removed a few of mine on my face just for the heck of it. it was gross and it looked like a triangle. haha.

    but my mom had a really big mole removed on her face because the doctor was afraid it was cancerous. it turned out to be okay though.
  • cr4zyyl0ve@xanga

    thanks for posting your story. it kind of makes me feel more nervous than before, but at least now i know about some of the procedures. i went to get some moles checked out last year, and the dermatologist told me that one of them was fine, but the other one could become cancerous, so i'm supposed to go back and get that checked again sometime soon. i have a feeling i'll be getting it taken off.
  • FragileSara@xanga

    Sometimes checking your own moles isn't enough.  I had a lot of suspicious looking ones and as an athlete who spent tons of time outdoors I knew I should really get them looked out.  Turns out none of the ones I was worried about were cancerous but the one on my back that I hadn't ever seen before was.

    It didn't hurt at all because they numbed the area first.  I was nervous to get the results back but I'll never regret following through with my dermatologist because it very likely saved my life.  A moment of pain and worry was worth it because had it gone any further I would have needed many more surgeries. 

  • ShimmerBodyCream@xanga

    Yes. Great idea for awareness like this. My dad actually had skin cancer.
  • BebstersBlog2@xanga

    I had one on my upper arm that was getting darker and lighter, so I had it removed, but the test came back benign.  I think he took it off with a scalpel, but I don't really remember.  The worst part was the needle for the numbing.  There's a visible scar, but it's not very noticeable.  I had 2 stitches.
  • karmavore@ireallylikefood

    i have a few moles that i keep a close eye on to make sure they aren't doing anything weird... I have had them since i was a child, but I am thinking of getting them looked at because I did lifeguard outside in the summer for a number of years and despite the SPF 50+ I would still manage to burn.
  • turn0ff_theshyness_820@xanga

    ive gotten a few moles removed as well. for cosmetic reasons. one was on the tip of my rib and i was always self consions to wear a bikini. one on my inner thigh and one in each arm pit. also one on my arm. the one on my arm surprisingly is the only one that left a scar. its like there is a dent in my skin!
  • Ork58@xanga

    I had a mole removed on my chin (always cut the top of the darn thing off when shaving)  I had a wart removed on my lower left calf, and a wart removed on the back of my neck above my right shoulderblade. Darn thing was right where the neckline of your T-shirts would hit. And a wart on my left earlobe that wouldn't heal or go away.


    All four came back cancerous.


    Fortunately the removal of them was also the solution. The one on my neck we waited too long to remove it for my General Practicioner to do in the Office, so he referred me to a surgeon, who removed it in their clinic. It was the size of a large grape when he finally got it cut out of there, they took several deep stitches and then 9 surface stitches. The scar tissue still bothers my neckline with some shirts. And it cost me $1000 for him to do the work. No insurance.


    Bottom line is, when it doubt, check it out. Could have been fatal for me if I had ignored it. Needless to say, whenever a new mole or wart appears and doesn't go away or changes shape or color, I have it looked and and removed ASAP. You should too.
  • TheScaleDiaries@xanga

    Once I become eligible for health insurance at work in February I plan on getting 4 or 5 moles checked and possibly removed. I used to use tanning beds like five years ago (and only for a year or two), but I do feel it's better safe than sorry.
  • dreamer_in_my_heart@xanga

    I had 12 removed a few months ago from my back.  I went in to the doctor's to have 2 checked out, and 4 or 5 (I can't remember which) came back precancerous.  I have to go in every 6 months now for mole checks by my doctor.  Unfortunately, mine are all hereditary.  Can't do a darn think about them.  I have one on my chin I would love to have removed, but because it's not cancerous in any way, shape, or form, it would be considered cosmetic surgery and I don't have the money to pay for that (because insurance doesn't cover cosmetic surgery).  
  • sick_of_dreams@xanga

    I had a spot on my leg removed that was abou the size of a nickel and is was precancerous. it was all speckled and growing. it was really deep too and i had 8 stiches to close it up.
  • niltiaCmAI@xanga

    @dreamer_in_my_heart@xanga - Are you sure insurance won't cover it?  My moles weren't thought to be cancerous either but, because they did a biopsy as a precautionary measure, it wasn't considered a cosmetic procedure.  I think that whenever a mole is removed the dermatologist has to have it biopsied.
  • WhenHateIsTheOnlyOption@xanga

    I have moles galore, but mostly freckles. I've had this marilyn monroe style mole on my face since a young age.

  • roaring_woman@xanga

    I have had melanoma twice, once at 17, once at 21. WEAR SUNSCREEN!!!!
  • dreamer_in_my_heart@xanga

    @niltiaCmAI@xanga - Because it grows hair, the chances of it being cancerous is slim to none.  Therefore, I'm stuck with it until I have the money to pay for it.  Unless it starts changing or grows.  Which it hasn't since I was very, very little.
  • ForeverLove_xx@xanga

    I got two moles removed when I was in 5th grade. They were fine, as I remember. One was on my foot and the other was on my neck.
    My mom is always bugging me to get mine checked but the doctor always says they're fine.
    Anyway, sunscreen ftw.
  • xjadersx@xanga

    I've had the same moles and freckles forever. I check myself to make sure nothing changes too much.
  • herCITYstreets@xanga

    I had two moles removed by the same methods a year ago. One was right under my eye and the other was on my back. I was extremely afraid of getting the procedures done, but right afterward, I could've done it 100 times over.

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