# Change in mole (TMI), doctor needed immediately?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-mole-tmi-doctor-needed-immediately/295444>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 20, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-mole-tmi-doctor-needed-immediately/295444 "2005-03-20T17:47:47Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Elysian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@Elysian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysian)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-mole-tmi-doctor-needed-immediately/295444/1 "2005-03-20T17:47:47Z")

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My husband has had a large mole for much of his life on his extreme upper inner thigh. It’s large and (used to be) flesh colored. For the last week or so it has started swelling, irritating him enough so that it hurt to walk or have any pressure applied to it. He made a doctor’s appointment for this next Tuesday to have it taken off.

Over last night, however, it’s started to change drastically in appearance. Now it’s red and purple and highly swollen. I’m worried that there is a blood clot in it, because it sure looks like it.

Is this something that we should take to the emergency room? Should we wait until Tuesday to have it taken off? He’s got a bandaid on it right now and it’s not paining him terribly, but I worry about him and want to know.

Thanks guys. I tried to google it but WebMD is veeeery slow and this looks like my best bet.

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-mole-tmi-doctor-needed-immediately/295444/2 "2005-03-20T17:58:13Z")

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There are very few dermatological emergencies.

I’d recommend a patient seek urgent attention if the pain was severe, if bleeding was not controllable, or if there were signs of infection that was spreading.

It sounds like there _could_ be significant infection in the case you describe. However, it would take more Q & A to decide that, and this is not the appropriate venue for such an exchange.

I’d advise contacting your doctor’s office now, and discussing it with whoever is taking call over the weekend. Then you’ll get specific answers tailored to your situation.

QtM, MD

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**Author:** ![Elysian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c77e96/32.png) [@Elysian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysian)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2005, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/change-in-mole-tmi-doctor-needed-immediately/295444/3 "2005-03-20T18:02:23Z")

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Thanks QtM. I’ll tell him to do that.