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Mole removal

worriedmum_124
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Hi everyone, 

I guess I'm just looking for a little bit of reassurance on here. 
I'm 26 years old and I have two children. One who is five and one who is 8 weeks old, so at the moment I'm terrified. 
 

My family have genetics of moles but so far nobody in my family has ever had skin cancer. Over the last 10 years I've had a few moles removed, this is when I was a teenager because  they were big and bothered me about how I looked. I've got one under my armpit that has been there for as long as I can remember. For some reason last week it grabbed my attention and bothered me. I'm not sure if this is because I was on my first period since having my baby so my hormones were up in the air or what. But I went to the doctor, she looked at it and felt it and said "there is nothing about this that is worrying me, I'm happy for you to leave it on. If it's really bothering you, then just monitor it" but I requested I had it removed as it would cause me great anxiety. She said they could do it at the surgery under the "minor ops" clinic that they have there and they'd send it away for biopsy as it's routine to do that. She said it would be classed as a routine appointment and may be in a back log because of covid. Luckily, I've got an appointment through for a week on Tuesday to have it removed. 
 

I'm not sure why it's bothering me. It's a raised mole and is probably slightly bigger than a pea. It looks like it's sitting "on" my skin rather than "in" my skin. It's very soft and wobbly and easily moved, which I've read is a good sign and usually means it's benign? It also has hair which, again, I've read is a good sign too? Obviously it's in a place that there's no sunlight that can get to it either. It has the same consistency as a wart, it's brown with black speckles in it. It has never irritated me e.g. itching or bleeding or hurting. But every time I read up and it seems like the odds are in my favour for it to be benign, I end up in a dark hole of reading about Melanoma and I just have visions of them removing it and telling me I have stage 4 Melanoma and I have weeks to live. I think this is my anxiety that is doing this to me but it is terrifying me. I'm now checking for lumps in my armpits every day and I have none, I feel overall healthy in myself and had a full blood count done yesterday (I had low platelets in pregnancy) and everything is normal which I can only presume means I'm in good health? 
 

After writing this down, it does seem like the odds are in my favour and it's highly unlikely it could be Melanoma but I think I just needed somewhere to vent and have some reassurance from people who know about this stuff. 
 

I've made myself so sick with worry. I'm meant to be going on holiday this weekend to Center Parcs  and I've just not been excited for it at all. I think this is my last attempt at trying to make myself feel better. 
 

If anybody takes the time to read this and respond to what I've put, thank you and I appreciate it. 
 

H x

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    Hi H,

    I can understand your worry and it's great that your GP is happy to remove it & have it tested even though she believes it looks fine. 

    Everything you have said is correct but it still won't stop you worrying. I'm a melanoma patient & have had years of being checked by my consultant & have had 7 moles removed in all - only one was melanoma. I have a mole that sounds identical to yours if not a little larger - I've had it all my life, it's at the back of my neck and it always gets checked when my moles are checked. My consultant has never been bothered about it. In fact, it caused a comical fiasco years ago when I was diagnosed Stage 3. An X Ray showed a raised lymph node at the back of my neck.and, even though neither I or my GP could feel a raised node, my GP called my oncologist because I'd been having head & neck pain (he worried my melanoma had spread). The next day my oncologist couldn't find the node either. It then dawned on me what the problem was & I raised my shoulder length hair to show the mole on my neck! We both had a laugh as X Rays can't differentiate whether something is on the skin or internal. 

    So hopefully your mole is like mine - just an ugly, worrying nuisance. Put it all to the back of your mind and have a great weekend. Don't ruin enjoying yourself over something that may never happen & that you can't change. Good luck with the removal and please let us know how you get on with the results.

    Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient since 2009)

  • Offline in reply to AngieT

    Thanks so much for your reply. 
     

    Part of me thinks I'm gonna be ok but part of me can't help but worry but from what I've read on this forum, it's natural and a lot of people have felt like I do too. 
     

    My underarm is constantly aching, a few days ago I thought it's because something was seriously wrong but my fiancé kindly pointed out that I am going to the mirror, multiple times a day, lifting my arm up and checking for lumps/checking on the mole, moving it and touching it. Which I don't think is helping. 
     

    I just keep telling myself I'm doing the right thing by having it taken off. I've had similar ones removed before but I don't know why this one had all of a sudden bothered me now! 
     

     

  • Offline in reply to worriedmum_124

    Hi,

    Your fiance is correct - the pain will be because you are prodding the area too much. If the mole was malignant it wouldn't hurt & the area wouldn't ache so it will settle down if you stop touching it.

    It is natural to worry and all those going through the same on the forum are stressed & anxious. However, if you search those who have posted the same concerns you will see that some come back & update that their mole was fine whilst some don't come back because they have had clear results and forget about the forum. Only a very small amount come back to say they received a melanoma diagnosis so sometimes the level of anxiety and stress far outweigh the final outcome. 

    Angie x

  • Offline in reply to AngieT

    Hi Angie,

     

    I wanted to keep you updated. I went for the removal today but unfortunately the doctor wouldn't do it. He said it's too big to remove at the doctors. He also had a look and a feel and said it looks and feels benign to him and he thinks having it removed would cause more damage as the scar tissue would be so big in such an awkward place (it's right in the crease of my armpit). He said he can refer me to hospital but it wouldn't emergent and they also might not do it either. It's frustrating but also positive I suppose? I've asked for the referral anyway and if not then I'm just going to look at going private for it as I just don't want the anxiety of having it there. 
     

    hope you're well,

    H x

  • Offline in reply to worriedmum_124

    Hi H,

    I'm glad you've still asked for a referral to put your mind at rest. I can understand why the GP may not be able to remove it if it's large & in a problematic area - the hospital are the best place to undertake that kind of op & it would be done by a Plastic Surgeon who would make a neater job of it. Hopefully they won't need to remove it if they think it looks fine anyway.

    Good luck, I hope you aren't waiting too long if it's a non urgent referral. It may be worth enquiring as to a private consultation anyway if you can afford it. It will cut down on the waiting time & if they think it needs removing they can put you back on the NHS referral list so you only have to pay for the consultation.

    Angie x

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    I know this post was over 2 years ago but your mole under your armpit is identical to mine which is also under my armpit and i have been referred to get it checked out and mine also looks like a wart and is on the surface I keep pulling it at it I know I shouldn’t it’s brown with black speckles and I can see a tiny hair in it and I’m freaking out, what happend in the end with yours? 

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