Hi Sarah,

Please don't overthink your moles but it's good that you are getting them checked out. At your age you shouldn't have any moles that would cause concern as most malignant moles are caused by UV damage in our childhood and up to our 30s, but they don't become evident until we are in our 20's & as old as our 50s. However, a small percentage of melanomas aren't caused by the sun but are genetic so that's why it's good that you are still getting them checked to rule that out. Your gran's skin cancer won't have any bearing on your chance of having melanoma unless her's was melanoma (most skin cancer patients have non-melanoma skin cancers like basal cell or squamous cell). 

The very small moles won't be of concern. The best thing to do is to point out a couple of the larger, two coloured, asymmetrical ones for the GP to check. If they don't also give your other moles a 'once over' just ask them to run their eye over them - any ugly ducklings should draw their attention. 

If the GP isn't concerned but you still aren't happy, you can always monitor the more concerning ones by taking photos once every 2 weeks for about 2 months so you can see any changes. Put a ruler next to them to show the size as it helps show up if they are growing (however, at your age it's natural for moles to still grow in size so it's not always a sign of a problem). Failing that, you can download a mole checking app (like Skinvision or similar). This should give you peace of mind that you are monitoring your moles properly.

Good luck on Wednesday, I hope your GP can put your mind at rest. Please let us know how you get on,

Angie (Stage 3 melanoma patient since 2009)