small red dot with black in it -cancerous??

I have a small red raised bump on my wrist which is about the size of a pin head. It has some black ( a black dot) inside of it. I associate black wiith melanoma. Since this is so small, I never thought it was something to be concerned about. Now I'm not sure. In terms of my history, I had a lentigo maligna many years ago, so I am at an increased risk for melanoma. Needless to say, anything unusual I see now worries me...

Thanks,
Eilee

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

A black spot of that size could be a freckle, or just blood in the skin from minor trauma.  I suggest you leave it alone and show it to a doctor.  if you have a history of lentigo maligna, you should be seeing a doctor regularly for surveillance anyway.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff