mole removal...Chellybeans?

[suntower]

Well, yesterday I had my full body skin check. It went well, although one mole was removed from my lower back. This mole looked very normal: light brown, raised, soft, round and symmetrical. However, I told the doctor that a couple of months ago I had noticed that there was a very small but new red scab on the tip of the mole, like the size of a pinhead, which came of right away wiht no bleeding and had since left a tiny darker spot there. I suppose it's possible that the dark spot had been there all along; it was so small I'd never have noticed it if not for the tiny little scab I just barely noticed. Anyway, he cut it out and cauterized it, and said he wasn't concerned but that since I mentioned it we might as well get rid of it and biopsy it.

I wasn't worried until I took the bandaid off last night to look at the wound. It was a clean little (~5mm diameter) round depression (he must have cut below the skin surface), but what worried me was that at the center of this clean depression was a tiny little hole. I had expected a circular depression that was flat across, but this had this strange little hole-type thing in the middle. My first thought was perhaps the instrument creates a hole but I don't think so since he simply cut it out. So then I started to worry that maybe that little scab that I saw a couple of months ago was the tip of some deep cancer, and when he cut out the mole, I could then see the cancer lower down as the little hole.

I know I worry excessively but I was all prepared to put this behind me, and I'm hoping there is some decent explanation for this little hole in the center of the cut-out depression. It's smaller today but still there. A nurse friend said she figures it is from the root of the mole as it came out but I'm not so sure. Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Kevin

[Jenjenb]

Help!  I had several miles removed about a year ago, one on my back was cut out and since it has healed/scarred over...it itches like crazy.  What is going on??

[Laureng325]

I had two moles removed on January 11, one from my lower back and the other from my right upper thigh. i had about 4-5 stitches in each and left them in for a week and a half. i got the stitches removed and the biopsys for both came back normal. but today i noticed brown pus coming from the cut on my right upper thigh. and it has been very sore there since the stitches were removed. i peeled the sterie strip off to look at the cut and it looks red and moist but with that brown pus like discharge. should i be worried?

[bayada]

pardon me, but did i hear that moles do not have roots?  of course they do.

[chellybeans]

if they are skin tags most dermatologist will simply snip them off. they don't often numb them unless they are large because the numbing can hurt worse than the snip. do not try to remove them at home though, you run high risk of infection and possible bleeding related complications.

skin tags are considered a cosmetic issue by most insurers so it is a standard out of pocket expense. if the "moles" appear to almost dangle by a thin piece of skin ar look vaguely like a tick that is flesh colored then i would lean towards them being skin tags.

even if not , a doctor would be the way to go for removal.

[taya01]

Hey chelly

I have quit alot of moles small ones coming out all over my body ecspecially my neck. I want to remove them all what can I do or use to get rid of them. They even in my face?

Help me Im desperate.
Taya

[chellybeans]

lol, this is numero uno and dos all at once for us! we are thrilled. thank you!

now, as for the hole, they will pinpoint cauterize a blood vessel if it is bleeding rather than the whole wound to speed healing and reduce scarring so it may be an odd coincidence.

and you have the wonderful adhesive rash...ugh. just leave it open and put antibiotic ointment on the wound to allow it to heal.

you can develop a rash or allergy at any time, even to something you have been doing on a daily basis for 20 years. the human body is an amazing crazy machine :)

[suntower]

thanks again Chelly. Actually it appears I have a rash around the biopsy site so I think that has a lot to do with the itching too. It looks like it's from the bandaid, although I've never had a rash in response to a bandaid before.

Biopsy came back clean, so I think it's now time to take a nice long break from skin concerns. But I am curious...so you think that little hole in the center of the wound was a cauterized blood vessel or something? I had thought when they cauterize that they burn the whole wound, but I guess not. It was just weird that it happened to line up right in the middle where my original scar was. Oh well, nothing to worry about anymore.

Twins? Congratulations! I guess it's good I got my dermatology advice from you now since in 6 weeks you'll be just a bit 'busy'. I have a 3yr old and a 1yr old and they made me realize that having twins would be...well, let's just say 'challenging'. Good luck...I don't know if you have any kids yet but they certainly change the way you look at the world. In a good way, of course!

[chellybeans]

that is a part of the healing. it is actually a good sign.if you have fever at the wound site, red lines extending from it or an excessive drainage(pus) then we'll worry.  it would be an issue if it itched before the biopsy but after means you are healing.  :)

sorry it took so long to get back to you. i am having twins in six weeks and get side tracked here and there :P

[suntower]

Hey Chelly,
Is it normal/OK that the biopsy wound has been itchy starting as soon as the second day? No pain, but mild to moderate itchiness. I've heard that an itchy mole could mean cancer, so I hope there is no relation here. The mole didn't itch before it was removed, but I'm surprised it has started itching so soon!
-Kevin

[chellybeans]

no worries. i have the time to spare.

i'm glad i can give someone a bit of peace of mind!

[suntower]

Thanks Chellybeans. Looks like this board is keeping you busy today...lots of skin problems out there! Anyway, thanks for taking the time to answer. It does make me feel better.

[chellybeans]

it is from the cautery he used to stop your bleeding. that is common. moles do not have roots, and remember skin cancer starts on the skin, not beneath, so he would not have uncovered anything by removing a mole.

this will be sent off to a pathologist for evaluation. the doctor should have the result within a week to ten days. if you haven't heard anything call for a copy of the report. it will say exactly what you have as well as whether or not the margins were clear.

i would not worry much, raised moles that are normal in border and width are almost never a concern. the red spot and scab were most like from an injury you unknowingly sustained and the dark spot may have simply been darker pigent of a scar from the scab/wound.

as for the divet left behind, your body will gradually rebuild the tissue there and you will be left with a very small white spot for a scar. it will not tan to match yous skin, but will flatten out.

when doing a shave biopsy, the doctor will frequently use a scalpel blade(only) and attempt to go below the surface a bit, for two reasons, primarily because if there is a concern they hope to be able to fully remove it in the biopsy, requiring no further treatment and secondarily, so that you are left as cosmetically intact as possible with little or no remaining stray pigment or textural variances.

keep your wound clean. if you are using antiobitic ointment, polysporin is a good safe option. :)