Anonymous wrote:Damn, I'm going for my first annual dermatology checkup next week. I have lots of freckles and moles- seems like a lot more in the last few years. Is it pretty likely they are going to at least have to test some?

If you have many moles then I'd probably say yes, you'll likely have at least one removed (sliced off). I'm the PP that just posted about how painless and easy it was and because of my experience I'll be going back whenever I think a mole might look a bit strange. It was so easy!

I just recently went to the derm to get a few moles checked. It was my first time. She did remove one because "it's not exactly a uniform shape and we should just be sure" I think she was trying not to freak me out...no reason to worry before there's a reason to worry I guess. It literally took like 20 seconds for her to cut it off and I didn't feel ANYTHING, even the shot. I have no idea how it happened so fast and painlessly. It was on my chest and they just covered it with a tiny bandaid. I still can't believe how easy it was. The whole thing is gone now (was about the size of a small pea) and healing nicely.

The results came back totally clear.

Damn, I'm going for my first annual dermatology checkup next week. I have lots of freckles and moles- seems like a lot more in the last few years. Is it pretty likely they are going to at least have to test some?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As I understand it, if a derm is suspicious of melanoma, then the entire mole should be excised and sent to pathology. Depending on the path results, it may be necessary to do a further excision or more to ensure margins are clear. Shaving is more commonly used for other types of skin cancer. But, it varies, I'm sure, depending on who you see.

This. Suspicious melanoma is always excised.

+1000. Stage III MM survivor here.