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How Is Melanoma Treated ?
Question: A previous flat mole has risen over the last day or so and is not symmetrical in shape but the colour has remained the same; drak brown to black. the whole area has risen, almost like it has filled out. it is less then 6mm in width and no more than 2 mm in height if not less. Is this a sign of melanoma or do moles change shape and size? If it is not a normal growth can it be cured by removal?
i have just come back from holiday in XXXXXXX and my skin is irritated and have an acute rash for which i have taken some over the counter medication. the acute rash seems to have gone down but no change in the mole. please advise
i have just come back from holiday in XXXXXXX and my skin is irritated and have an acute rash for which i have taken some over the counter medication. the acute rash seems to have gone down but no change in the mole. please advise
Hi,
Thank you for the query,
Any aberrant behavior of a mole in-terms of color ,change of shape or size,with symptoms of itching or bleeding should be investigated properly (especially in fair skin individual).Usually its the chronic sun exposure which may lead to this.
But in your case you had a recent sun exposure.
Medically moles are of three diffrent varities:
1) flat mole or junctional mole.
2) raised black mole(may be with a hair follicle) is called as compound mole.
3) raised skin colored mole is called dermal mole.
Some times a basal cell carcinoma(BCC) may mimic a mole ,so it becomes all the more important to get it tested.
Since you had a recent sun exposure with the sun burn,it may happen that there is a inflammatory response to sun light which is causing the changes in the mole .
I would advise you to consult a good dermatologist and get it biopsied (esp excision biopsy).This would not only help in diagnosis but also in treating the condition.
Hope I have answered your query. I will be available for follow up query if any.
Regards,
Dr.Bharat chawda
Thank you for the query,
Any aberrant behavior of a mole in-terms of color ,change of shape or size,with symptoms of itching or bleeding should be investigated properly (especially in fair skin individual).Usually its the chronic sun exposure which may lead to this.
But in your case you had a recent sun exposure.
Medically moles are of three diffrent varities:
1) flat mole or junctional mole.
2) raised black mole(may be with a hair follicle) is called as compound mole.
3) raised skin colored mole is called dermal mole.
Some times a basal cell carcinoma(BCC) may mimic a mole ,so it becomes all the more important to get it tested.
Since you had a recent sun exposure with the sun burn,it may happen that there is a inflammatory response to sun light which is causing the changes in the mole .
I would advise you to consult a good dermatologist and get it biopsied (esp excision biopsy).This would not only help in diagnosis but also in treating the condition.
Hope I have answered your query. I will be available for follow up query if any.
Regards,
Dr.Bharat chawda
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
the mole is on the chest and was not exposed to the sun.
it was a flat mole previously and had been for many years and has over the last two days risen.
From the picture what do you conclude. does it look like melanoma?
can moles change shape the way this has over time and not be dangerous?
it was a flat mole previously and had been for many years and has over the last two days risen.
From the picture what do you conclude. does it look like melanoma?
can moles change shape the way this has over time and not be dangerous?
Hi,
Thank you for the reply,
I am sorry, but I've not received any pictures yet.
You have a feature to upload the reports / image by yourself at the right side of the query page, please utilize that so that I can answer your queries better.
You rightly said that chest is a covered area of the body, but then if you have been to beaches or going for sunbathing then it would have been exposed to sunlight.
You can wait for few days and observe whether the swelling is coming down or not.
If it is just a inflammatory response then it would be back to normal.
If it doesn't then kindly visit a dermatologist for a biopsy.
Flat moles or junctional moles have more tendency for conversion to a melanoma. So kindly get it checked.
Without doing a biopsy (i.e. by just looking at it) it would be difficult to comment on whether it be a XXXXXXX or malignant mole or otherwise. A biopsy would be any dermatologists' choice.
Hope I have answered your query.
Wish you Good Health.
Regards,
Dr.Bharat chawda
Thank you for the reply,
I am sorry, but I've not received any pictures yet.
You have a feature to upload the reports / image by yourself at the right side of the query page, please utilize that so that I can answer your queries better.
You rightly said that chest is a covered area of the body, but then if you have been to beaches or going for sunbathing then it would have been exposed to sunlight.
You can wait for few days and observe whether the swelling is coming down or not.
If it is just a inflammatory response then it would be back to normal.
If it doesn't then kindly visit a dermatologist for a biopsy.
Flat moles or junctional moles have more tendency for conversion to a melanoma. So kindly get it checked.
Without doing a biopsy (i.e. by just looking at it) it would be difficult to comment on whether it be a XXXXXXX or malignant mole or otherwise. A biopsy would be any dermatologists' choice.
Hope I have answered your query.
Wish you Good Health.
Regards,
Dr.Bharat chawda
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
The swelling has gone significantly down and has almost returned to how its original shape and size. it was never a round symmetrical mole.
if someone has melanoma does it keep getting bigger?
if someone has melanoma does it keep getting bigger?
Hi!
Thanks for writing back,
Its a good sign that the swelling is coming down.
Probably it was just a inflammatory response .
Yes a melanoma should not regress on its own.And it should get bigger with time .
So just keep a watch on it for its size and aberrant behavior.
wishing you good health.
regards,
Dr.Bharat chawda
Thanks for writing back,
Its a good sign that the swelling is coming down.
Probably it was just a inflammatory response .
Yes a melanoma should not regress on its own.And it should get bigger with time .
So just keep a watch on it for its size and aberrant behavior.
wishing you good health.
regards,
Dr.Bharat chawda
Note: Hope the answers resolves your concerns, however for further guidance of skin related queries consult our Dermatologist.Click here to book a consultation
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Radhika
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