Warning Signs a Nail Melanoma Was Misdiagnosed As Benign
Any race can get nail plate cancer. Yes, it’s possible and it happens: A nail melanoma being misdiagnosed as a harmless elongated “birth mark” or benign melanonychia. […]
Do ALL Nail Melanomas Have a Hutchinson’s Sign?
The Hutchinson’s sign is a very tell-tale sign of fingernail or toenail melanoma. Further complicating this issue is that benign pigment in a nail can mimic a true Hutchinson’s sign. […]
What is Central Regression in a Melanoma?
A doctor may describe a melanoma as having “central regression” or as being “centrally regressed.” Though this term seemingly is self-explanatory, it does warrant further explanation to the layperson. […]
Can Melanoma Be Misdiagnosed As a Skin Tag?
If you think you have a skin tag, it’s possible it’s a melanoma, and it’s also possible for a doctor to misdiagnose a melanoma as a benign skin tag. […]
New Moles Near a Melanoma Excision Site: Should You Worry?
You just had a melanoma removed and are now seeing new moles or little spots very close to the excision site. […]
Pink Line or Stripe on Fingernail or Toenail Can Be Melanoma
You probably already know that nail melanoma is often a dark line or stripe under the nail, but it can also be pink or a pinkish flesh color. […]
What Causes a Pimple to Be Purple? Could Cancer?
If pimples are supposed to be some shade of pink or flesh colored, then what causes a pimple to be purple? […]
Is Nail Melanoma Always a Stripe or Can It Be a Smudge?
Did you know that nail melanoma doesn’t always present as a line, streak, stripe or band? […]
Two Big Warning Signs You May Have Nail Melanoma
Yes, melanoma can affect a fingernail or toenail, and there are two major warning signs that what you see is a potentially deadly tumor — also known as subungual melanoma. […]
Can an Irritated Skin Tag Turn into Cancer?
Skin tags are common and depending on their location are prone to irritation including bleeding. Can an irritated skin tag, however, actually transform into cancer such as melanoma? […]
Part of the Body Melanoma Most Often Grows in Dark Skin
There are certain parts of the body that melanoma is more likely to grow in blacks and other dark skinned individuals. People with dark skin are not immune to melanoma, especially since this skin cancer [...]
How Rare Is Melanoma in Dark Skinned Children?
Though melanoma is very rare in children, and rare in dark skinned adults, just how rare is it in a person who’s both dark and under age 20? […]
Can a Teenager Get Melanoma in the Mouth?
The answer is “Yes” to the question, Can a teen get melanoma of the mouth. The most highly publicized presentation of melanoma is that of a “mole” on the skin. […]
Malignant Melanoma vs. Benign: The Difference
Have you seen the term “benign melanoma” or “non-malignant melanoma” and thus wonder what the difference is between malignant and benign melanoma? • “Mela” refers to pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) • “Oma” refers to mass or [...]
If Doctor Thinks Teen’s Mole Must Be Watched, Why Not Biopsy It?
If a teen’s mole is suspicious enough for a doctor to say, “It should be watched,” then why not just biopsy it in case it’s melanoma? Teens DO get melanoma. “Melanoma among adolescents and young [...]
Big Red Pimple on Teen’s Nose that Won’t Go Away
What appears to be a big red pimple on a teen’s nose may actually be melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. […]
What Are All the Different Colors that Nail Melanoma Can Be ?
That line or stripe down a nail that’s melanoma isn’t always black or dark brown. It can be other colors, too, and it’s not always a stripe or line, either. Nail melanoma is also called [...]
Edge of Longstanding Mole Is Coming Away from Skin: Melanoma?
The mole has been there since you could remember, when suddenly an edge of it has started to come away from the skin. […]
Bump Under Eyelid: Skin Cancer or Chalazion Cyst?
What are the hallmark features that would point towards skin cancer vs. a chalazion cyst if you have a bump under the eyelid? Many people quickly think of cancer when they discover a “bump” somewhere [...]
Percentage of Mole Biopsies that Come Back Melanoma?
If you’ve ever had a mole removed for biopsy, have you ever wondered what the mathematical odds were of it coming back as melanoma? It’s unimaginable how many moles every year in the U.S. or [...]
When a Skin Sample Is Sent for Biopsy: Handling the Anxiety
It’s just plain total anxiety when a skin sample is sent off for a biopsy, especially when you did not expect this to happen, and all you can think of is “What if it comes [...]
Can Melanoma Be Mistaken for Normal Cells Under a Microscope?
It’s scary but true: For any number of reasons, a pathologist may mistake melanoma for benign cells under a microscope and incorrectly diagnosed the sample. […]
How Long It Takes a Lab to Analyze Mole Biopsy for Melanoma
When a dermapathologist views mole cells under a microscope, how long does it take them to identify if it’s melanoma or benign? Your doctor will tell you it takes a week to two weeks for [...]
If It Looks Like Melanoma, How Likely IS It Melanoma…?
If something on your skin looks like melanoma, does this usually mean that it IS melanoma, or just HOW do the odds swing in cases like this? […]
Lump on Top of Head for Years, Suddenly Getting Bigger
You’ve had this lump on the top of your head for years and have thought nothing of it—until recently because it’s suddenly getting bigger. […]
Why Does A Mole Biopsy Sometimes Miss Melanoma?
Isn’t it frightening to read of a case in which a biopsy incorrectly labeled a mole as benign, and it later turned out to be a missed melanoma? This happens. […]
Can Melanoma in a Nail Be Green?
You know that melanoma can indeed grow “in a nail” and cause a dark streak, but can this band of cancer ever be green? Or how about mostly brown or black with a little bit [...]
If a Scratched Mole Bleeds, Does this Mean Melanoma?
It is nothing short of unnerving to casually scratch a mole and then see it bleed. The scratching may not even be intended for the mole, but the mole just happens to be in the [...]
Can a Pimple Form in a Mole and Does this Mean Cancer?
What looks like a pimple growing in a mole may be a harmless pimple, or, it can be melanoma or another kind of skin cancer that often resembles pimples. […]
Is a Mole on the Nipple More Likely to Become Melanoma?
Have you discovered a mole on your nipple — not nearby, but ON the nipple, and are worried it might be melanoma? […]
Can Tinnitus Be Caused by Melanoma Spread to the Brain?
Can a melanoma that spreads to the brain ever cause tinnitus? The brain is one of the first places that a melanoma tumor metastasizes to. This can result in a variety of symptoms. Tinnitus is [...]
What Can a Blister Like Spot on the Scalp Be?
There are three main types of scalp lesions that can look like a blister, and this includes cancer. This is why it’s important to have a dermatologist inspect your scalp on a yearly basis as [...]
How LONG Can You Have Skin Cancer Without Knowing It?
“Skin cancer can look like many things; therefore people can go long periods of time without recognizing that they have a skin cancer,” says Dr. Steven Musick, MD, a board certified dermatologist who runs Musick [...]
How Long Does It Take Melanoma to Grow to 2 Millimeters?
It’s a fact that melanoma can be well under six millimeters, and in fact, can be only one millimeter in diameter. The ABCD rules for melanoma certainly do not apply to all such skin cancers. [...]
Can Melanoma Patients Live More than 30 Years?
How many people walking around today were diagnosed with melanoma 30 years ago? This deadly skin cancer is on the rise, but is highly curable when caught at the stage 0 or “in situ” (in [...]
What’s the Biggest that Melanoma In Situ Can Grow?
Melanoma in situ is the earliest stage of this skin cancer, and it will often spread out before it goes deep. So what’s the biggest an in situ melanoma of the superficial spreading type can [...]
Can Melanoma Grow Inside the Belly Button?
Not only can melanoma grow inside the belly button, but this particular location makes the cancer potentially more aggressive and able to spread faster than if it were, for example, located on the chest, back [...]
Why There’s a 1 Percent Mortality Rate for Melanoma Stage 0
The 10 year survival rate for stage 0 melanoma (in situ) is 99 percent. So what happens with that one percent? Do they die from their melanoma in situ? • How does anyone die from [...]
That Pimple Thing on Your Upper Lip Could Be Cancer
That stubborn thing on your upper lip may not be a pimple at all, but might be cancer if it’s been hanging there for a while. The good news is that the top of your [...]
Can Teens Get Melanoma from Moles They’ve Had for Life?
If you’re a teen, it’s not too early to check your lifelong moles every month for signs of melanoma—especially if you’ve spent a lot of time over the years in the sun without sunscreen. You [...]
