Small mole?? an inch from anus

[jte777]

Dear Doctor,

You have always been so reassuring to me in the past and Hope you can do the same this time. Still have my doctor phobia, but am working on it.

Am writing to you because today my anus itched a lttle after eating some spicy food, often an after effect I have found. So using a mirror I applied some cream with hydrocortisone in it to my anus, which looked normal. However, about one inch, or a bit more, from the anus on the skin of the hip making up the anal cleft I noticed a small light brown dot about the size of a pinhead, if that. I am not even sure a doctor would note it unless it was pointed out to him or her. Though it is there, just not real obvious unless you look closely. It is flat and cannot be felt when running a finger over it. Could have been there for YEARS (I have hundreds of normal moles all over my body which is a family trait on my father's side). Also, one does not use a mirror that often to look at that area of the body, so would be hard to become  acustomed as to what has always been there or what has just appeared. Been several years since I had look there. On my abdomen, arms and legs, for example, I know where all the moles are. And this one looks like probably 50 or 60 more that are on my back, arms, legs, etc.

Over ten years ago I did have some venereal warts removed from my anus by surgery, but these were the typical white califlowered looking ones and they were entirely on the mucosal tissue.It was obvious what they were. As I said earlier, this exremely small brown dot is over an inch from the anus and its tissue. I have never had a reoccurance of the white warts on the anus and this looks nothing like the ones I had removed. This one truly looks like a very small mole.

Is this likely a small mole that in the past I have just not noticed? Can moles be in that area? One would think so.I have been hypersenitived to finding any changes with my skin since a scare about 2 years ago. Never thought about every little pimple or spot before until I turned 50. Now am super sensitized to anything I fear will be fatal.

With the abundance of moles I have, is it likely this is what it is? If no more appear and this one does not change, is that more or less a confimation that it is just one more mole that I have just not noticed before?

I have had to let my health insurance lapse since they raised my premiums  56% to $550/month! Not that it is likely I could bring myself to go to a doctor at this point. Childhood fears carry over even to people my age. Sad but true.

Thank you in advance for you time and your calming manner. I know that you have eased my mind in the past, as well as those of many others who see reassurance.

John

[41rocks]

A related discussion, Black moles was started.

[jte777]

Thank you for your kind reassuring advice. Yep, have worked on this through counselling and even tried medication. Tough thing to stop though since fear was formed in childhood. Am sure that if I had had a kind doctor when I was young this I would not have such fears. Short tempered doctors leave a very lasting impression on small children and I am not sure they realize the damage they are doing while trying to help us.

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Thanks, Jerefrancis.

As to jte777, please don't freeze the spot--no danger, but nobody's going to be able to tell you what it is, if it's all scabbed up.

You may want to consider some counseling for your apparent obsessions....

Dr. Rockoff

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

It sounds like a freckle or a small mole.  You might well have overlooked it, because it's obviously a place you don't look very often.  Because you're so worried about it, nothing is going to reassure you unless a doctor sees you in person.  It's a question of which you prefer: overcoming your doctor phobia and springing for one visit, or remaining anxiety-ridden over something that's almost certainly nothing.  Your call.

By the way, if you have as many moles as you say, you should have yourself looked over by a dermatologist annually anyway.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff

[jte777]

I do not know if this will be helpful to you, but (and Iknow I probably should not have done this, so please do not yell at me) but I tried applying one of those home freezing wart removal kits to the spot. This morning it looks much darker, almost black. Do not know if that indicates anything or not. Before it was brown and less visible, but now seems much darker, though size remains the same. Sorry to be such a bother to such a busy man as I am sure you  are but I am beginning to scare myself beyond what is probably logical.

As always, many many thanks.

John

[Jerefrancis]

Dude...chill out, let the doctor answer one question at a time.  Understandly you paid 17 bucks to get a clear and concise answer, but give the poor doctor time to read your fable and he will answer your question in a timely manner. :)

[jte777]

Sorry for the after thoughts, but if it helps the mole is right at the border of where the darker color of the tissue around the anus transitions to the normal skin that covers most of the body. Sorry again for having to add this on, but wanted you to have a complete picture of what I see.

[jte777]

Did not mention that the small spot is not in the least painful. I did mention that it cannot be felt at all, but forgot to mention that there is no pain or itch associated with it at all. Just a small brown spot about over an inch from the anus on the inner hip. Thanks,
John

[jte777]

Just looked at many many pictures on the web. Though some of them look like what I had previously, 14 years ago, though much more wide spread, they do not look at all like what this little brown dot is. At least feel a little calmer until you respond. Where the previous ones were a long time ago show no signs at all and tissue appears to be normal.