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I removed a mole myself - Question

nothingatskl
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Hi there I have a question about a mole that I removed myself that is giving me some anxiety. I had a mole on the side of my nose it was small, round, brown and slightly raised I don't know the exact measurement but it was no bigger than the average freckle you get on an arm. I used some online remedies which was using a cider vinegar to burnt it off and then scrape the rest off with a clean knife. It has not grown back, but I am now worried that apparently some moles can be cancerous even when we had them from birth so I am now worried that what if it was cancerous and now I will never know and it cannot be cured. I had the mole since I was very young maybe like 5/6 years old and now I am 28. The area now is just scared and a little red sometimes. I never noticed any changes with the mole I just wanted to remove it for my own personal choice. Just really worried that I have done something wrong, could the cells underneth just turn cancerous now or even in a few years and I will never ever know about it and die? It all has me so anxious as people say you cannot cut a mole off yourself as it can be cancerous even if you have had it since you were a child.

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    Please anyone that can help me with this? :/

  • Offline in reply to nothingatskl

    Hello nothingatskl, 

    I just wanted to let you know that our nurses are not online over the weekend but they will respond to your post very soon. If you find the area is red and sore and needs medical attention, make sure you ring 111 for medical advice. As you removed this mole yourself, it would be a good idea I think to show it to a doctor just to make sure there is no infection for example. 

    You can also talk to our nurses on the phone on this free number 0808 800 4040 - their line is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm.

    Best wishes, 

    Lucie, Cancer Chat Moderator

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    Hi and thanks for posting

    It's usually best to try and avoid removing any moles yourself to avoid infection, scarring and not knowing what they may actually be. It's always best to get things like this checked out first and if you want it removed, to have a discussion with the GP as to whether it can be removed on the NHS or to be referred to a private dermatologist .

    However, you say you had this mole from birth and it hadn't changed in any way , so although I can't say for sure, you most probably would have noticed other changes by the time you removed it, if it had been a cause for concern.

    If you see any changes in the area where the mole was, the best thing to do then, would be to make an appointment with the GP to get it looked at and if necessary , you can be referred to a dermatologist. It's not as if you wouldn't know what was going on as there would be changes in that particular area. If you continue to be worried though, have a chat with the GP about this.

    All the best

    Wanda

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