I’d really appreciate some informed opinions here, because my mate’s mom is worrying me to death here.
Recently, I noticed two dark spots on his scalp. They’re both brown… about as dark as you’d picture brown freckles to be, about 1.5cm across (Or, as big as the end of your little finger, perhaps), smooth to the touch, and devoid of any hair.
Now… his mom is worrying that it could be ‘melanoma’, and his doctor has referred him to a dermatologist, stating that one of the growths looks suspicious.
The only reason I’m getting paranoid and worried is that the dermatologist can’t see him for a month. Lots and lots of time to ponder over the worst…
So, anyone have any ideas what this may be? Please?
IANA Dermatologist,or even a Doctor, but I know quite a lot about this topic. Obviously visint your dermatologist immediately is the right thing to do, but in the mean time follow the ABCDE’s.
A is asymmetrical. If one side is different from the other. B is border is irregular. By irregular I mean scalloped, blurred, or notched edges. C is not uniform color. One should watch out for a mole with black, brown, grey, red, and white. D is diameter. The size of a mole is usually greater than a pencil’s eraser (6 mm). E is elevation and elargment. Elevation is almost always their but it surface may be flat. Elargement is extremely important.
Along with the ABCDE’s of Skin Cancer, one should pay attention to the normal warning signs of Cancer in general. Change in bowel or bladder habits;A sore that does not heal; Unusual bleeding or discharge; Thickening or lump in the breast or elsewhere; Indigestion or difficulty swallowing; Obvious change in a wart or mole;
Nagging cough or hoarseness. All this spelling out CAUTION. I use pneumonics so often.
On the brighter side, the cure rate for both basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma is 95 percent, when properly treated. Melanoma is lower sadly.
Just some more reasons to go see your dermatologist are if you have a family history of melanoma, any pigmented mole that was present at birth, any new moles appearing after puberty, many (uncountable) moles greater than 2.0 mm in diameter, any moles greater than 5.0 mm in diameter, any changing mole in size, color or shape, any mole that itches or is tender for more than 2 weeks, any mole considered “ugly” because of its size, color or shape
Much of this information was given by the Cleveland Clinic of Health.
A month? Perhaps you need another doctor, you can get one in Doctor’s on Duty right away or a similar medical clinic if your city has them. Also a ER room you can get a doc right away but they cost more. Might be worth to save a month’s worth of emotional work for all these people.
Neurodoc, how come? My father had a lot on his scalp, which seemed to be the only place he got them. Makes sense cause that area gets the most sun-unless you have a lot of hair.
I agree with Dr. Handy. Any physician whose priorities are such that s/he would make me wait a full month for a 60-second examination of a potentially carcinogenic mole doesn’t have my best interests in mind.