Had a scary mole checked out at the dermatologists today. Benign.

[JanMichael]

One of those changing shades, nasty mofos, that the first thought is MELANOMA!!!

Needless to say, with a family history filled with aggressive skin cancers, I was freaked when my lovely wife pointed out the color change on the middle-of-my-back mole.

I would've NEVER seen it myself and I thought that the increased itchyness was just dry skin due to moving to a dyier climate recently.

Had it been malignant I propbably would've waited for too long. Ouch.

Anyway I was able to make an appointment with a specialist and see him for a $30 copay.

He checked that as well as all of my other longtime moles, birthmarks etcetera, and gave me a thumbs up. All common skin conditions.

What a freakin' relief...What pissed me off though is the knowledge that someone without insurance might hesitate to jump at the phone and call a specialist. Or if they did scrounge up the $150 for the visit they'd never be able to afford the biopsy and future treatments.

Worse yet the people who don't check, or have someone else check, for potential skin cancer.

Oh well, I least I've got decent HC...And my lovely, eagle-eyed, wife was paying attention.

[Jabbery]

1. Got a Basal cell on the face

Surgery next Tuesday. Not fun. Plastic surgery to avoid a scar the same day. Watch yourself in the sun, folks. Skin cancer sucks.

[JanMichael]

8. Crap. Let us know how it goes.

Your absofreakinlutely right, "SKIN CANCER SUCKS".

Take care.

[Zomby Woof]

2. that calls for a celebration

Have some croutons!

[Spinzonner]

3. Yes, its easy to panic a bit

I have quite a few moles over my body. Some rather large. Family trait. Thanks Mom.

Including one in the middle of my back right along the back bone. Over the years it got flattened and stiff and hard from sitting back against it.

One morning woke up to find blood on my T-shirt and a little on the sheets. It had cracked off in half. Went to the doctor a few days later and he took the rest off and had it checked (along with the rest). All OK.

I also had a 2nd-degreee sunburn on my back in adolescence to ad to the risk factors but otherwise I've stayed out of the sun the rest of my life. Proably a good idea for you too.

It's possible to do some checking oneself with a full-length mirror without too much difficulty - necessary in my case since I dont have a wife/back-checker.

[Lars39]

6. I read somewhere lately that photographing moles

can really help keep track of their size, shape, color, etc.

[JanMichael]

7. You won't be seeing me at the beach with spf-2, period.

The mirror idea is a good as is the digital camera angle if one's memory is loose like mine.

Glad your turned out OK!

[playahata1]

4. Good for you!

My grandmother's face has LOTS of moles. Fortunately, none of them have yet gotten to the point where she has to have them checked out.

[lapauvre]

5. Congratulations

Thanks be for someone being there to check your back.