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Dermatology (Expert Forum)
My mother's mole
Answered by
Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems
The Rockoff Dermatology Center
Brookline - MA
Welcome to the DERMATOLOGY FORUM! Questions in this forum are answered by Dermatologists from St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital, under the direction of Andrew Alexis, M.D., M.P.H.
My mother's mole
by Tatjana, Nov 30, 2005 12:00AM
Dear Dr. Rockoff,
I'll try to describe a situation concisely: My mother (white, 64) has had a large, slightly raised mole on her back since birth. About 2 yrs ago, we thought it got slightly larger, so she went to the doctor (surgeon -it is a small town, and he is a friend). He measured it. This year she went for a check-up: the mole did not get any larger. About a month ago she noticed some itching but was not sure if that was the mole, the itching was in the area of the left upper back, a side that the mole is on, but wider area. She contributed that to dry skin -my parents have been vacationing in Greece, and she was peeling a bit. Then last week, the mole started crusting a bit. Half of the crust fell off and the mole looks normal. Itching, in the meantime, stopped. She contributed crusting to maybe hurting the mole when she was scrubbing her back with a brush. She again went to the surgeon, and he is in the process of sending her to a big institution for dermoscopy "to him it looks ok, but just to be sure, since it is in the area of her bra, which keeps rubbing on the mole"
I know that we will find out results in the next few weeks, but I am already quite outside myself. I keep blaming myself for not pushing her to pursue it further, but this mole, although it was big, it didn't quite have all the ABCDs. It was round, with pretty good edges, brown (maybe a bit of black). It looked like a normal big mole. The skin around it is normal, it is not red, oozing, etc...Dr. Rockoff, what do you think based on this description? Can a normal mole behave this way (crusting)? Would you recommend taking it off?
Many thanks for your answer.
I'll try to describe a situation concisely: My mother (white, 64) has had a large, slightly raised mole on her back since birth. About 2 yrs ago, we thought it got slightly larger, so she went to the doctor (surgeon -it is a small town, and he is a friend). He measured it. This year she went for a check-up: the mole did not get any larger. About a month ago she noticed some itching but was not sure if that was the mole, the itching was in the area of the left upper back, a side that the mole is on, but wider area. She contributed that to dry skin -my parents have been vacationing in Greece, and she was peeling a bit. Then last week, the mole started crusting a bit. Half of the crust fell off and the mole looks normal. Itching, in the meantime, stopped. She contributed crusting to maybe hurting the mole when she was scrubbing her back with a brush. She again went to the surgeon, and he is in the process of sending her to a big institution for dermoscopy "to him it looks ok, but just to be sure, since it is in the area of her bra, which keeps rubbing on the mole"
I know that we will find out results in the next few weeks, but I am already quite outside myself. I keep blaming myself for not pushing her to pursue it further, but this mole, although it was big, it didn't quite have all the ABCDs. It was round, with pretty good edges, brown (maybe a bit of black). It looked like a normal big mole. The skin around it is normal, it is not red, oozing, etc...Dr. Rockoff, what do you think based on this description? Can a normal mole behave this way (crusting)? Would you recommend taking it off?
Many thanks for your answer.
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, Nov 30, 2005 12:00AM
, Nov 30, 2005 12:00AM
I think it's a normal mole that got rubbed--they behave exactly this way. I would remove it--doing that would be very simple--just so it isn't an ongoing source of annoyance and anxiety. But I bet that when it does come off, the pathology will be perfectly fine.
Take care.
Dr. Rockoff
Take care.
Dr. Rockoff
Member Comments (2)
by Tatjana, Dec 01, 2005 12:00AM
Dr. Rockoff, thank you for reassurance, I slept better already last night. I hope that it will be just as you said. Greetings.
