[Anonymous]

I picked this mole I had on my arm last year as I hated the look of it but then it grew back and formed a scab, so I picked that Now it keeps growing back and im wondering if I will get skin cancer or something. I though I saw some black which indicates melonoma but its just a very tiny hair. Theres no point saying how stupid I am cause I know but what do you think?

[NViasko]

No, it causes a headache.

[TheThirdMan]

Me mum said the same thing. I think lots of moles MAY be an indication of skin cancer, only if they bleed when you pick them. Picking a mole in itself will not cause cancer, i dont think, though dont take i word for it!

[generalebriety]

What keeps growing back? The scab? As in... you keep picking it? Try stopping.

You won't get skin cancer, at worst you will get an infection like you could anywhere you picked your skin... moles turn cancerous of their own accord (or lie dormant and then become active of their own accord, or something), I think, not when you pick them. But I'm not an expert.

[Anonymous]

(Original post by generalebriety)
What keeps growing back? The scab? As in... you keep picking it? Try stopping.

You won't get skin cancer, at worst you will get an infection like you could anywhere you picked your skin... moles turn cancerous of their own accord (or lie dormant and then become active of their own accord, or something), I think, not when you pick them. But I'm not an expert.

The mole and the scab keep growing back, I thought it wouldn't grow back at all but it is doing

[orbelina]

it would grow back, its in your DNA or something like that. But i really doubt you would give yourself cancer picking at it. dont worry about it

[Ryan]

A spot and a mole are two different things....

[generalebriety]

(Original post by Anonymous)
The mole and the scab keep growing back, I thought it wouldn't grow back at all but it is doing

Scabs are just exterior blood clots, of course they're going to "grow back" if you keep picking off the stuff separating the blood from the air. And your mole will grow back unless you get it surgically removed.

[Anonymous]

Rarely you can get a scar carcinoma, but very, very, very rarely, and these are not usually malignant melanoma...

A mole will grow back, as you only remove the surface bu picking at it, not the underlying melanocyte responsible for it...

[JayEm]

Don't pick any scabs on your arms and hands, they leave a layer of darker skin once they've healed if you pick at it. Takes forever to fade.

[Mr Brightside]

why the hell are you picking a mole on your arm? you frickin nutcase. there all i said was your a nutcase, not stupid.

[Mr Brightside]

how sore would picking a mole be? My God.

[Ywiss]

No - I believe that skin cancer will very rarely be caused by picking a mole. Saying that, please don't pick your moles; it makes all of our moles feel sore just thinking about it. And it's not very attractive either...I'm sure it's far more attractive having a mole on your arm than having a scab on it

[gas_panic!]

No. Picking spots cannot cause skin cancer. Unless you are using a special spot picking device that emmits radioactive waves at the same time.

[Anonymous]

(Original post by gas_panic!)
No. Picking spots cannot cause skin cancer. Unless you are using a special spot picking device that emmits radioactive waves at the same time.

Then look up cutaneous scar carcinoma. I think you may be surprised...

[Anonymous]

I had a mole surgically removed last year, and now i have a scar where it was, but theres a mole in the middle of it. Its like wtf are you doing.

[Jonatan]

The vast majority of skin cancer cases are due to excessive sunbathing. Picking moles or spots in itself is very unlikely to cause skin cancer, but the wound could get infected, and in some rare cases infections can cause cancer.

Regardless, picking spots and moles won't make them go away unless you actually hurt your skin so bad that it form a scar. If you want to get rid of it I suggest you go have it done propperly. By a doctor.

[Friggerpants]

Look at it this way:

Anything with Carbon or Hydrogen in it can cause cancer.

Word.

[supertramp]

Why oh why are you picking your mole? My arm-mole gave a sympathy twinge when I read that.

Go to the doc, and get it surgically removed. It's quick and fairly painless (got to hurt less than picking it!) and if you have it cauterised rather than shaved off it won't leave a big scar. I've had both (cauterised and cut out) and the cut one left a big scar that still hurts a bit.

[worldwide]

I have a mole on my chest that looks like it could be risky. But i don't remember it ever looking different and i'm too lazy to go to the doctors.

On topic, OWWW and EWWW on the picking moles thing.