Confused

Hi,

I was just wondering if someone could help answer a couple of questions. My name is Brittany and I am 27 years old. I do not have melanoma, but am afraid I put myself at high risk of getting it.  I have light eyes, dark brown hair and lots of freckles and like an idiot, always wanted to be tan so from the time I was about 16 or 17 until I was 25 I went to tanning beds once, if not more times a week all year round and layed out at the pool in the summer. I know a lot of people do this, but I feel so stupid because with my skin type, I am afraid I may have really damaged my skin. For the past two years I have put sun screen on everyday, even in the winter and have not stepped foot into a tanning bed and will never again.  I just went to the dermotologist and he removed an irregular mole on my back that luckily turned out to be nothing.  He told me I should come in once a year. I want to be good about doing skin checks on myself during the year so my question is, when looking for melanoma, what am I looking for?  I have tons of moles all over and a lot that look dark brown or black but what kind of change in a mole am I looking for?  A subtle change or an obvious change?  How quickly does a melanoma change? About how long do you have to catch a mole changing and get it removed in time to save yourself from it spreading?  I am just so confused.  My derm showed me a poster and said most melanoma's look something like his poster but not all of them do.  I am afraid even if I do skin checks I will miss something because I don't really know what I am looking for, and I have so many moles and freckles too that make it hard to remember if any moles are new ones or have changed.  Sorry this message is so long but can someone give me any idea of what I am looking for?  And am I at huge risk of getting melanoma? I don't even have it but I am scared I could get it.

Hello Brit, I had melanoma about 2 years ago. Prior to that, I had base of tongue cancer. With the melanoma, I had a birthmark on my left check that looked like a large freckle.

What happened, was the freckle started to raise up a bit and then started to crack. It hadn't started to bleed or anything, as I had gone to the Derm by them. Had an operation and so far so good.

I too am fair skined and light color eyes, dark hair. I never did use sun screen. Now, I don't leave home without it.

Take Care

you are wise to be concerned.  Melanoma that has spred (metastatic melanoma) has no cure.  I am providing a link with pictures and an explanation of the ABCD's of melanoma detection.  The BillyFoundation is in memory of a 22 year old who died from melanoma when a mole when undiagnosed.

http://bfmelanoma.com/abcd.htm

Hey Brit,

My husband had an ugly mole on the underside of his right forearm.  Where normally, the sun wouldn't hit.   Due to his job, he has a total physical every two years.  Each time, he would point out the mole and the Drs. would say to keep an eye on it.  NEVER did they say what to keep an eye out for.  Last October he went to our regular doctor for an unrelated issue, and she took one look at the mole and sent him directly to a dermatologist that very same day.  She didn't even treat the issue he was there for.  It turned out to be Melanoma and we were sent directly to MD Anderson.  It was a very large tumor by that time, however due to great blessings, his lymph nodes, liver tests, lung x-rays & a multitude of other tests came back clean.  Even our doctors were suprised. 

My husband goes to MD Anderson every three months for full body checks by three different staff members (including his Onc.), lung x-rays, blood tests, liver tests and in between times he goes to the dermatologist for a check up.  He will continue this for three years. Then we go to every six months until the fifth year.  Then once a year for the rest of his life.

If you are the slightest bit concerned about any mole, at any time, go back to your dermatologist for a "professional" look.  My husband's mole reflected all of the "bad" things to look for in a mole.  My mistake was to assume that if a doctor wasn't concerned, neither was I.  Now, I'm the mole detective.  I drive my husband, family & friends (and yup, some strangers too) crazy!  lol