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Dermatology (Expert Forum)
Unusual Mole, punch biopsy today.
Answered by
Alan Rockoff, MD - dermatology, Child Skin Problems
The Rockoff Dermatology Center
Brookline - MA
This forum is for questions regarding Dermatology issues, such as: skin rashes, acne, birthmarks, skin infections, rosacea, and general skin care.
Unusual Mole, punch biopsy today.
by ziggysgrl0724, Feb 15, 2008 03:55PM
Hello Dr. Rockoff,
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I wanted to ask you a few questions. when I was around 7-8 years old I developed two moles on my upper back....I am now 26. They were always dark and slightly raised, the one in the middle was/is round but I couldnt remember what the other one looked like. Well, the other day I found a pimple on my back and noticed the other mole was slightly odd. It was still brown, and still felt the same to the touch, but the border was slightly irregular. i dont remember if it had always been this way so I went today to my PCP, who decided to do a punch biopsy. he said if anything comes back irregular he will refer me to a dermatologist. This happened on a military base. I also would like to add that I am 9 weeks pregnant, and since have noticed a slight darkening in some of my other beauty marks/moles. i have no history of melanoma in my family...my mother had squamos cell but i dont think its related. As far as skin goes, I seem to be a genetic macth to my father, we have identical moles in the same places, same kind of skin, and pilar cysts of the scalp. he does not have a melanoma. I also saw the tissue after the punch biopsy...the mole was just a very thin layer of brown on the very top layer of skin with felsh colored/pink tissue underneath..I dont know if thats relevent. iguess my question is, just because there was an irregular border, does that mean it is def. melanoma? Could the fact that I have had it so long with only a small change if any be a good thing? or a bad thing? Does the fact that it appeared to be only on the top layer of skin mean that if it is a melanoma it hasnt grown underneath my skin yet? Could this be related to my pregnacy? If this comes back irregular will I have to terminate my pregnancy? Thank you for taking the time to read this Dr. I look forward to your reply!
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I wanted to ask you a few questions. when I was around 7-8 years old I developed two moles on my upper back....I am now 26. They were always dark and slightly raised, the one in the middle was/is round but I couldnt remember what the other one looked like. Well, the other day I found a pimple on my back and noticed the other mole was slightly odd. It was still brown, and still felt the same to the touch, but the border was slightly irregular. i dont remember if it had always been this way so I went today to my PCP, who decided to do a punch biopsy. he said if anything comes back irregular he will refer me to a dermatologist. This happened on a military base. I also would like to add that I am 9 weeks pregnant, and since have noticed a slight darkening in some of my other beauty marks/moles. i have no history of melanoma in my family...my mother had squamos cell but i dont think its related. As far as skin goes, I seem to be a genetic macth to my father, we have identical moles in the same places, same kind of skin, and pilar cysts of the scalp. he does not have a melanoma. I also saw the tissue after the punch biopsy...the mole was just a very thin layer of brown on the very top layer of skin with felsh colored/pink tissue underneath..I dont know if thats relevent. iguess my question is, just because there was an irregular border, does that mean it is def. melanoma? Could the fact that I have had it so long with only a small change if any be a good thing? or a bad thing? Does the fact that it appeared to be only on the top layer of skin mean that if it is a melanoma it hasnt grown underneath my skin yet? Could this be related to my pregnacy? If this comes back irregular will I have to terminate my pregnancy? Thank you for taking the time to read this Dr. I look forward to your reply!
Doctor's Answer
by Alan Rockoff, MD, Feb 17, 2008 06:46AM
, Feb 17, 2008 06:46AM
To: ziggysgrl0724
Not to worry. Everything seems to have been done properly. The chances are overwhelming that this is not a melanoma. The doctor simply wanted to be sure, which is a good thing. I don't think your pregnancy has anything to do with this, one way or the other. I have little doubt that you won't get anything hut good news. Wait for the biopsy report and relax.
Best.
Dr. Rockoff
Best.
Dr. Rockoff
Hi Dr. i just wanted to tell you, the pathology came back as a compound meloncytic nevus.....from what I understand, this is a completely benign finding.. The concern i have is, now that this mole has been tampered with, wont it always look a little abnormal? would I be able to tell in the future if it possible starts to have malignant changes? Would you say this mole needs to be removed? Thank you very much!