My daughter had a mole on her left cheek which was growing way to quickly - within 3 months it went from a freckle size to 4mm in diameter.  I went straight to the doctor for relevant referrals in July and by last December we had it removed.  Pathology showed a very common spitz naevus, which can grow to over 2 cm in diameter!  Glad I jumped on that not only for cosmetic reasons, however. 

The pathology had also been referred to the Sydney Melanoma Clinic for additional opinions as the speed with which is was growing also showed "unknown malignant potential" and "melanoma type qualities", so to be sure they excised another 2 mm in January.

She has a scar, which is healing well.  It is only about 1cm long.  If we left it any longer it would have been a lot bigger. 

So everyday, we are putting Bio-Oil on it to help promote the healing.  She is only 3 so hopefully there will be little sign when she's older. 

Dont muck around.  If you suspect something is not right.  Get yourself a referral straight away.  Melanoma doesn't just happen to older people.  My husband's cousin had a melanoma removed from her leg when she was 12 - she lived in Tasmania, and had very fair skin , so was not in the sun much.  It's not always in the sun and it is a killer.

Great advice and is worth everyone reading. I've been checked over the years but always had trouble getting my hubby to go for a check. Finally got him to go because a friend of his is now dying because he didn't have a mole checked. The skin specialist attacked many moles on my hubby and he now has to be checked every 6 months.

Good Advice

My husband has had several basel cells removed and gets checked every 6 months.  It is so important to take care of your skin and to stay out of the sun!!  Thanks for the tips.

Information to me like that is very great to know. It was great reading and it really opened my eyes on the situation.

Great article. I have already some of my moles removed just to be safe. Now I watch my kids skin like a hawk. I have about 25- 30 just on my back alone. Those are probally the worst ones I have. So every few months I was getting a couple  removed. 

Thanks for the advice, wish I would have known more sooner.

Firstly prevention is always better than cure.

Secondly in Australia there a clinics that you can go and have your moles and freckles checked under Medicare.

If you are unsure go check with your GP.

Slip Slop Slap is the Aussie Motto http://www.qldcancer.com.au/pdf/BeSunSmartSid.pdf

O

 

SLIP, SLOP, SLAP, slip on a shirt, slop on some sun screan and slap on a hat.  Not sure they still show that on the telly in Australia. But when I was a kid all summer it would be on the telly this nice little ducky coming on to make sure I took care of myself in the sun..

I have a fair number of moles and fair skin to go with it. I also suffer from a mild allergy to the sun (Polymorphic Light Eruption, apparently), which appears to be like prickly heat, but the spots and blisters appear where the skin has been exposed to sun. Anyway, I digress. I am always careful about moles and avoiding the sun at the hottest time of day (my doctor actually told me never to sunbathe, but I think that is a tiny bit extreme), and always use high factor sunscreen. I always mention "funny" moles to my doctor when they appear and have always been told that they are fine, but it certainly pays to be aware. I believe that as few as maybe three bad sunburns as a child can greatly increase the risk of skin cancer. I also read an educational poster that said that you are at greater risk if you have over 100 moles (young adult) and over 50 moles (older adult), which suggests that moles become more potentially dangerous as we age. Good article, and I also found some interesting (though a bit ugly) photos here.