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Dermatology (Expert Forum)
Questions regarding Moles
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.
Questions regarding Moles
by MakaveliMOB, May 27, 2005 12:00AM
Hi Doctor,
Thanks for answering our questions and for your time.
I am a 25 yr old male. I noticed a wierd looking mole on my right butt cheek a few weeks ago. Showed the Dermatologist,he said it looked atypical, it was oval like, but a portion of the border on one side was darker (more brown) than the rest of the mole which was consistent in color. I had him take it off. He called and said it was just an ordinary mole underneath the microscope ( junctional nevus with proliferation in the basal layer, is what i think he said). No cellular atypia. No need to excise anything. Then a week later i noticed 2 other moles. One on my leg and one on the left hip. Both i have had for some time. The one on the leg had hair going through it (which is supposedly a good sign), but had a little black dot in it, right where the hair was coming out, its hard to notice because hair comes out of that black dot so it can be mistaken for just hair, i suppose (could it have something to do with keratin?). The one on the hip was just really dark, so i said what the heck, go to the derm. He didnt think anything of them, got a second opinion, and he didnt think anything of it too. So i got it biopsied anyways. They came back as Junctional Nevi with some inflammation. So i was relieved right? Wrong! I'm still worried. I dont have many moles, the ones i have a new on my face, and some on the genital area. No family history of Atypical moles or Melanoma. I dont have moles on the back or arms or chest or stomach, im somewhat dumb-founded by this. The only relative reasoning i can find is that i was depressed for a good year and a half over something and i also started masterbating (masturbating) a lot more, both of which are known to influence mole change....low immune system, and hormones. The derm told me that for it to REALLY be an atypical mole, it would have to have atypia under the microscope. He said it was just regular mole with somewhat of an irregular border (coloring).
So my questions are.
-What does color variation really mean? (scientifically what causes this, extra melanin, or a melanocyte causing more pigment for some reason?)
-Could my depression (cause for a lower immune response) and excessive masterbation (masturbation) (hormonal)promoted some change in the first mole?
-I read that a normal mole, be means of the ABCD rule, look normal clinically, but be atypical mole, because of atypical cells. So how should one know to take something on or off (or is there really no definite way to know)?
-Ever since this situation, ive been looking at moles on ppl i run into in daily life, and i think ive seen some clinical irregularity in some moles on most of them. Maybe 1 or 2, but still present. So what does this mean?
Thanks again.
Thanks for answering our questions and for your time.
I am a 25 yr old male. I noticed a wierd looking mole on my right butt cheek a few weeks ago. Showed the Dermatologist,he said it looked atypical, it was oval like, but a portion of the border on one side was darker (more brown) than the rest of the mole which was consistent in color. I had him take it off. He called and said it was just an ordinary mole underneath the microscope ( junctional nevus with proliferation in the basal layer, is what i think he said). No cellular atypia. No need to excise anything. Then a week later i noticed 2 other moles. One on my leg and one on the left hip. Both i have had for some time. The one on the leg had hair going through it (which is supposedly a good sign), but had a little black dot in it, right where the hair was coming out, its hard to notice because hair comes out of that black dot so it can be mistaken for just hair, i suppose (could it have something to do with keratin?). The one on the hip was just really dark, so i said what the heck, go to the derm. He didnt think anything of them, got a second opinion, and he didnt think anything of it too. So i got it biopsied anyways. They came back as Junctional Nevi with some inflammation. So i was relieved right? Wrong! I'm still worried. I dont have many moles, the ones i have a new on my face, and some on the genital area. No family history of Atypical moles or Melanoma. I dont have moles on the back or arms or chest or stomach, im somewhat dumb-founded by this. The only relative reasoning i can find is that i was depressed for a good year and a half over something and i also started masterbating (masturbating) a lot more, both of which are known to influence mole change....low immune system, and hormones. The derm told me that for it to REALLY be an atypical mole, it would have to have atypia under the microscope. He said it was just regular mole with somewhat of an irregular border (coloring).
So my questions are.
-What does color variation really mean? (scientifically what causes this, extra melanin, or a melanocyte causing more pigment for some reason?)
-Could my depression (cause for a lower immune response) and excessive masterbation (masturbation) (hormonal)promoted some change in the first mole?
-I read that a normal mole, be means of the ABCD rule, look normal clinically, but be atypical mole, because of atypical cells. So how should one know to take something on or off (or is there really no definite way to know)?
-Ever since this situation, ive been looking at moles on ppl i run into in daily life, and i think ive seen some clinical irregularity in some moles on most of them. Maybe 1 or 2, but still present. So what does this mean?
Thanks again.
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, May 27, 2005 12:00AM
, May 27, 2005 12:00AM
-What does color variation really mean? (scientifically what causes this, extra melanin, or a melanocyte causing more pigment for some reason?)
Answer: It means nothing. Some moles are darker than others.
-Could my depression (cause for a lower immune response) and excessive masturbation (hormonal)promoted some change in the first mole?
Answer: No.
-I read that a normal mole, be means of the ABCD rule, look normal clinically, but be atypical mole, because of atypical cells. So how should one know to take something on or off (or is there really no definite way to know)?
Answer: There is no way to know for sure, but using proper judgment, most moles can and should be left alone.
-Ever since this situation, I've been looking at moles on ppl i run into in daily life, and i think ive seen some clinical irregularity in some moles on most of them. Maybe 1 or 2, but still present. So what does this mean?
Answer: Everything is nature is at least slightly irregular.
Why are you obsessing about moles all of a sudden? It doesn't sound as though you need to be.
Best.
Dr. Rockoff
Answer: It means nothing. Some moles are darker than others.
-Could my depression (cause for a lower immune response) and excessive masturbation (hormonal)promoted some change in the first mole?
Answer: No.
-I read that a normal mole, be means of the ABCD rule, look normal clinically, but be atypical mole, because of atypical cells. So how should one know to take something on or off (or is there really no definite way to know)?
Answer: There is no way to know for sure, but using proper judgment, most moles can and should be left alone.
-Ever since this situation, I've been looking at moles on ppl i run into in daily life, and i think ive seen some clinical irregularity in some moles on most of them. Maybe 1 or 2, but still present. So what does this mean?
Answer: Everything is nature is at least slightly irregular.
Why are you obsessing about moles all of a sudden? It doesn't sound as though you need to be.
Best.
Dr. Rockoff
I meant it in regards to the 2 shades of color within the mole. A majority of it was one color, but towards the border a smaller section was darker. And from what I understand the is C in the ABCD's. So it doesnt mean much? If it does, what does it mean?
Thanks.