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? […]
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 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 [...]
Precancerous Mole Removed and Growing Back: What this Means?
Is the precancerous mole that you had removed now growing back? When this happens, the biggest fear is that what’s growing back is melanoma skin cancer. What would cause the precancerous mole to "grow back"? [...]
One Mole On Top of Another: Benign or Melanoma?
What appears to be a mole growing on top of another can be melanoma. “It would be rare but not impossible for one mole to grow within another mole,” says Estee Williams, MD, a board [...]
24 Conditions that Mimic Melanoma to the Naked Eye
Some melanoma mimickers are other forms of cancer, but most are benign. Many people will present to a doctor with what they fear is melanoma, when in fact, it turns out to be a benign [...]
How to Check the Moles You Can’t See on Your Back
If you struggle to get a good look at all the moles on your back when you do your skin cancer self-exams, there’s a solution to this problem. […]
Why Not Prophylactic Removal of New Moles in Older People?
If new moles later in life are concerning, why don’t doctors just remove them to play safe rather than having the patient continuously worry about melanoma? […]
What Colors Can Melanoma Skin Cancer Be?
These four colors are just the tip of the iceberg. It helps to know what the most common colors are for the deadliest skin cancer, melanoma. Are there particular colors that melanoma skin [...]
Atypical Melanocytic Hyperplasia vs. In Situ Melanoma
Are atypical melanocytic hyperplasia and in situ melanoma one and the same? “Yes, I consider them the same thing; it all depends who is reading the slides,” says Dr. David Rahimi, MD, F.A.A.D., board-certified dermatologist [...]
Punch Biopsy for a Mildly Atypical Mole
What does a dermatologist think about a punch biopsy for a mole that’s slightly atypical? An "atypical" mole means it's more likely to morph into melanoma than is a typical mole. “A suspicious mole can [...]
Can Small, Tiny Moles Turn Into Melanoma?
Can melanoma come from small, tiny moles? Do you believe a mole can never turn into melanoma as long as it’s small or tiny? If, during your monthly skin exams for cancer, you’ve decided to skip past [...]
When an Itching Mole Begins Bothering You
Here's what a dermatologist says about itching moles. If you’re concerned about an itching mole (could it be melanoma?), first make sure that the itching is coming from the actual spot itself, rather than [...]
Are Most Funny Looking Moles Normal & Benign?
A dermatologist speaks about strange or weird looking moles. Have you discovered a funny looking mole on your body and wonder if it’s melanoma? The aggravating thing about finding a strange looking spot is when [...]
What Does Precancerous or Atypical Mole Mean?
Atypical Mole Have you been told you have a precancerous or atypical mole? Perhaps you were too afraid to ask your physician to explain in more detail what a precancerous or atypical mole [...]