Worried about a new mole

[altleworried]

I'm a 19 year old female, and a few days ago I noticed that a freckle on my upper arm was changing. I was at the dermatologist last week and she quickly scanned my arms and didn't mention it, but I think its changed since I saw her. I've always had a freckle in that spot, but I noticed it had become raised when I accidentally scratched it. Now it's raised and slightly more red-brown, but I think that may be because I irritated it.

My main question is- could I have made it spread by scratching and rubbing at it?
and I have another derm. app. next week- is that soon enough? What does it mean to "catch something early?"

Thank you.

[ChitChatNine]

Means to catch a cancer in it's early stages so it can be 100% successfully treated more easily than more advanced.  I'm not a Doc but sounds  like it is crusty and spread by opening it up ... they can bleed and be irritated for a long time .. don't think it can spread that way but I'm only a patient whose had an early melanoma removed.

[Pum]

Yes that is early enough. Anything that changes over days is likely due to irritation.