how do i check a mole for cancer without the GP

My GP is open from 8am-6.30pm Mon-Friday and from 9-1.30pm on a Sat.

Would you rather miss 50 minutes of work or potentially have skin cancer?

Reply 22

matt@internet

12

Apparently moles have little or no risk of becoming cancerous if they have hairs growing out of them.

Reply 23

jovialtom

2

planes12

who ever it was who gave me a neg rep about being frustrated about gp's not working on a saturday, well i know my gp isnt open and i was it a very dizzy state, i walked to the a+e explained how bad it was and she still said wait 2 hours i mean flippin eck, id rather go home because i dont like hospitals.

Doctors are so hard to get hold of, that's all i meant. maybe most of them do do a good job but previous to the a+e i did go to the doctor and he said it was nothing and talked down to me, he's probably one of the bad eggs but still.

you cant of been that worried if you wern't prepared to wait a mesely 2 hours. In a+e time thats nothing!

Oh and gps dont work weekends because they like everyone else deserve time off to spend with their families...

Reply 24

matchu

2

planes12

I dont know why but the gps seem to be really annoying in this country i mean i'm working 9-5 and they are always shut, and they arent really helpfull in an appointment yet.

I just want to go to a builkding on my day off give them money to take my mole and check it.

Thanks and is there a etter country to live in where they have a doctor that works weekends

Doctors are people too, arse.

Reply 25

matt@internet

Apparently moles have little or no risk of becoming cancerous if they have hairs growing out of them.

Whoever told you that was wrong! Very wrong in fact!!! The "giant hairy nevus" is a malignant melanoma precursor...

Reply 26

Fluffy

Whoever told you that was wrong! Very wrong in fact!!! The "giant hairy nevus" is a malignant melanoma precursor...

And to back up rant with fact...

http://www.emedicine.com/plastic/topic391.htm

The potential for large congenital hairy nevi to become malignant is significant and is an important consideration in the treatment and management of this entity.

•

A recent study at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center reported a 5.7% cumulative 5-year risk of developing a cutaneous melanoma in patients with large or giant CNN.

•

Other studies reveal a melanoma risk in patients with large CNN of 8.5% during the first 15 years of life.

CNN = congenital nevomelanocytic nevus (aka congenital hairy nevus)

[EDIT: Nevus is basically dermatology speak for a mole]

And that's without going through the appendageal skin cancers...

Reply 27

Segat1

16

You should be checking your moles about once a month.

http://www.cancervic.org.au/cancer1/patients/melanoma/howdiagnosed.htm

I can't stress how important it is that you do not get burnt. It will only take 3 burns to increase your likelihood of getting skin cancer.

Make sure you wear suncream whenever you are in the sun, don't forget your ears, back of neck, back of legs, tops and bottoms of feet.

Reply 28

mbm1087

1

Is the mole changing shape or color? Tell them that when you call because that's really important. (If it isn't then it is probably not cancerous, but it's still a good idea to have it checked out.)

Reply 29

OP

Thanks fluffy and segat mbm and the other posters, they arent changing in shape but its best to get them checked like you say :smile:

Reply 30

matt@internet

12

Fluffy

Whoever told you that was wrong! Very wrong in fact!!! The "giant hairy nevus" is a malignant melanoma precursor...

Oh s*it then. I've got at least 2 with hairs growing in them. One on my face, but that's probably cos I'm old enough to get horrible, curly stubble/sideburns :biggrin:

and another on my arm.

Reply 31

OP

matt@internet

Oh s*it then. I've got at least 2 with hairs growing in them. One on my face, but that's probably cos I'm old enough to get horrible, curly stubble/sideburns :biggrin:

and another on my arm.

Don't even joke, my dad died last year from melanoma.

by the way people who were helping, the doctor said that they don't seem that bad but he's giving me to the mole clinic to get them cut off.

he wasn't even worried about the dark one with the hair even though i thought that, that was the worst.

Reply 32

planes12

Don't even joke, my dad died last year from melanoma.

Sweet jesus! If you had mentioned that, I might have tracked you down IRL and marched you to your GP myself! Sorry to hear about your dad.

Glad to hear that a) you went and b) are getting seen at Mole Clinic...

Right! Now back to my skin cancer essay (Seriously! Cue 'du-du-du-du' type spooky music!).

Reply 33

matt@internet

12

I wasn't joking sorry if I offended and sorry about your dad. My dad died last year we just don't know what caused it. So I know death ain't a nice thing and I honestly didn't mean to cause offense.

Reply 34

OP

matt@internet

I wasn't joking sorry if I offended and sorry about your dad. My dad died last year we just don't know what caused it. So I know death ain't a nice thing and I honestly didn't mean to cause offense.

I'm sorry too, i get sensitive, i probably couldn't tell how you ment it and just instantly took it the wrong way, but i realise how you meant it now.

that's one thing about the internet which isn't good is that you can't tell how people mean the words they say :p:

and cheers fluffy that tracking me down actually felt good to hear, well you can come round and look after me anytime LOL :P

Reply 35

OP

Just refreshing the thread so you can read my last :p:

Reply 36

pendragon

13

planes12

I dont know why but the gps seem to be really annoying in this country i mean i'm working 9-5 and they are always shut, and they arent really helpfull in an appointment yet.

I just want to go to a builkding on my day off give them money to take my mole and check it.

Thanks and is there a etter country to live in where they have a doctor that works weekends

A GP wouldnt be able to tell you anyway, you need to see a dermatologist, but you may not be able to for some time. In the meantime you need to take regular photo's of your moles. Moles changing, growing or moving is a bad sign. Large moles, variagated in colour (more than one colour) are also more likely to develop into cancer.

Reply 37

Anonymous #1

pendragon

A GP wouldnt be able to tell you anyway, you need to see a dermatologist, but you may not be able to for some time. In the meantime you need to take regular photo's of your moles. Moles changing, growing or moving is a bad sign. Large moles, variagated in colour (more than one colour) are also more likely to develop into cancer.

Read the thread.

He's been to the GP, been referred to the mole clinic and all the things you say have already been stated...

Reply 38