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 (Highly recommend) (Highly recommend) (Highly recommend) (Highly recommend) (Highly recommend) 4.58 (Highly recommend) from 16 votes (4112 Visits)

holey moley! keeping an eye on freckles and moles

lindterbean by lindterbean Young Parent(September 2006) (rank 80th)
Some quick advice on freckles and moles after a trip to the dermatologist.

Most freckles and moles are no big deal. Some are cute, some are icky. But some are insidious, and these need to be watched. The good news is skin cancer in its early stages is usually
visible and can almost always be taken care of if caught soon enough.

The ABCs of moles and cancer:
  • Asymmetry of lesion
  • Border irregularity
  • Color variegation
  • Diameter greater than 6 millimeters
  • Elevation: is the lesion growing in height?


Who is especially at risk?
  • people who live close to the equator - the sun's rays hit more directly there so are not spread over a greater area and hence are more concentrated.
  • people who have many freckles or moles
  • people who suntan regularly whether in a booth or outside
  • people who have a history of skin cancer in their family
  • fair skinned people who burn quickly
  • people who burnt often and/or very badly as children
  • people who are outside for more than 2 hrs a day especially in the middle of the day
  • people who have been diagnosed with melanoma previously
  • people who have more than 50 moles

Make sure to visit your dermatologist if a mole, freckle or patch:
  • changes color
  • changes shape
  • changes size
  • changes height
  • is more than one color (ie: brown and black)
  • has an uneven or irregular border (not a nicely contained oval for example)
  • bleeds
  • gets crusty
  • gets scaly
  • stings or itches
  • is larger than 6mm
Tips:
  • Cover up when going out in the midday sun.  Even then, some clothing will not block many UV rays. Though there are some laundry products that will make your clothes more effective.
  • There is an increased exposure on snow: reflected light from below can also be harmful.
  • Be especially careful with newborns and babies - their skin is especially sensitive, even sometimes to window light or in the shade. There are UV protectant window films for home and car if this is a concern.
  • Stick to the shade when possible in the middle of the day.
  • Wear SPF 50 sunblock on areas that are not covered up, and reapply at least every hour, especially if you are wet or sweaty when outdoors.
  • Wear SPF 15 daily. (Many moisturizers and lotions are now being made SPF 15)
  • Wear UV protectant sunglasses. The sun can cause cataracts and macular degeneration.
  • Visit the dermatologist each year. Check your own skin each month.
  • Take close-up digital photos of each mole with a mm ruler next to it and identify where they are a day or two after each dermatologist visit. Then when you go to the next one, print the photos out and bring them with you. This is the easiest way for the doctor to see if and how much your moles have changed.
More info:
http://www.skincancer.org/
http://www.maui.net/
American Cancer Society
MD Anderson Cancer Center
Any contributed content above is the subjective opinion of that member or external author, and not of Minti.com Pty Ltd. If you are searching for health related advice we strongly suggest you seek professional medical support. View our Terms of Service for more details.
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sluxton
5.00 (Excellent) | May 2007 | sluxton
Keep an eye on fast growing moles

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.



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janicepovey
5.00 (Excellent) | April 2007 | janicepovey
Advice is life saving

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



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Kristen
5.00 (Excellent) | November 2006 | Kristen
Valuable information
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.


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dolphins30
5.00 (Excellent) | September 2006 | dolphins30
Thanks for the tip
Information to me like that is very great to know. It was great reading and it really opened my eyes on the situation.


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tinker79
5.00 (Excellent) | September 2006 | tinker79
Moles

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.



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ollie71
5.00 (Excellent) | September 2006 | ollie71
Great idea.

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

 



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Jessgore
5.00 (Excellent) | September 2006 | Jessgore
holey moley! keeping an eye on freckles and moles
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..


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      lindterbean
5.00 (Excellent) | September 2006 | lindterbean
holey moley! keeping an eye on freckles and moles
slip. slop, slap! I love it! what a great way to get kids to protect themselves.


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hrs2004
5.00 (Excellent) | September 2006 | hrs2004
Moles
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.


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