Atypical moles-please talk me down!!

[Jessi 23]

I had my yearly skin check last month and for the first time ever I had to have a biopsy.  It came back as moderately atypical and she said since it had clear margins that I didn’t need to do anything else. Just follow up in a year.  I’m TERRIFIED that now I’m going to get melanoma.  I know it can increase your chances.  I’m literally sick to my stomach over it.  
Idk what to do.  I’m scared since they only did a shave and not a punch, maybe they didn’t actually get it all.  I feel like I need 3 or 6 month checkups, not a year.  I’m so scared I’m going to get melanoma before my next visit and die. I can’t even function now I’m so terrified 

[sTeaLth 232]

First, IF it was what you feared and the worst case scenario… it’s not that bad. My mom and  my wife’s grandpa both had skin cancer and it wasn’t that serious. My mom’s was  removed and never another issue. My wife’s grandpa had it for over 30 years before he passed away. 
 

Second, dermatologists know their stuff. If they had any reason to do more now, they would. I have moles literally everywhere and most are atypical. It’s just not that common for cancer to be the cause.
 

Give yourself a break and enjoy the year. You’ll get to the next appointment and be angry and annoyed at yourself for being afraid for a year over nothing. Chill and rest. 

[Jessi 23]

6 hours ago, sTeaLth said:

First, IF it was what you feared and the worst case scenario… it’s not that bad. My mom and  my wife’s grandpa both had skin cancer and it wasn’t that serious. My mom’s was  removed and never another issue. My wife’s grandpa had it for over 30 years before he passed away. 
 

Second, dermatologists know their stuff. If they had any reason to do more now, they would. I have moles literally everywhere and most are atypical. It’s just not that common for cancer to be the cause.
 

Give yourself a break and enjoy the year. You’ll get to the next appointment and be angry and annoyed at yourself for being afraid for a year over nothing. Chill and rest. 

Thank you.  But was there skin cancer melanoma?  That’s what mine could have turned into.  I’d take basal cell any day over melanoma.  
have you had yours biopsied?  

[sTeaLth 232]

Theirs was, yes. Mine have never concerned a doctor to biopsy. So no, I’ve never had to. My point is that even if it was cancer, it’s generally easily dealt with. Yours likely is not cancer or there would be more urgency. Breath easy. 

[Ironman 153]

9 hours ago, Jessi said:

Thank you.  But was there skin cancer melanoma?  That’s what mine could have turned into.  I’d take basal cell any day over melanoma.  
have you had yours biopsied?  

You trigger words here are "could have turned into".   That would leave people open to anxious reaction.  Like @sTeaLth said, if it was urgent, you would have heard something.  I had a wart removed fromt he side of my nose.  They cut that bad boy off, told me that they were going to send it in for testing......and I never heard from them again!  When it comes to hospitals and testing, no news is good news.  They don't tell you squat unless it's bad.  Even my blood work is like "yep, okay, you might need your cholesterol lowered when you hit 50".....blah blah blah I like CHEESE, okay?!  Cheddar guilt and Paxil fat!

[Jessi 23]

45 minutes ago, Ironman said:

You trigger words here are "could have turned into".   That would leave people open to anxious reaction.  Like @sTeaLth said, if it was urgent, you would have heard something.  I had a wart removed fromt he side of my nose.  They cut that bad boy off, told me that they were going to send it in for testing......and I never heard from them again!  When it comes to hospitals and testing, no news is good news.  They don't tell you squat unless it's bad.  Even my blood work is like "yep, okay, you might need your cholesterol lowered when you hit 50".....blah blah blah I like CHEESE, okay?!  Cheddar guilt and Paxil fat!

My brain (I hate it sometimes) is playing out this horrible scenario where either melanoma pops up in the spot I had the mole removed from, ior somewhere else before my next visit in a year. And by then It’ll be stage 3-4 and I’ll be screwed.  Since I had an atypical mole I was told I’m at an increased risk of getting melanoma so to me that says I’ll get it soon 

[sTeaLth 232]

If it helps, we have a friends who has cancer spots appearing every year because she liked the sun a lot as a young lady in California. They take care of them and she moves on. She has had to have surgery to remove several but it isn’t life changing… more annoying than anything. In her  case, it is definite cancer and still not a huge deal. Yours is a far cry to anything scary and purely anxiety. Skin cancer is one of the easiest to deal with and almost never fatal when it does happen. You will eventually need to believe that or accept the unknown to relax. What ifs are found everywhere if you look hard enough. 

[Jessi 23]

5 hours ago, sTeaLth said:

If it helps, we have a friends who has cancer spots appearing every year because she liked the sun a lot as a young lady in California. They take care of them and she moves on. She has had to have surgery to remove several but it isn’t life changing… more annoying than anything. In her  case, it is definite cancer and still not a huge deal. Yours is a far cry to anything scary and purely anxiety. Skin cancer is one of the easiest to deal with and almost never fatal when it does happen. You will eventually need to believe that or accept the unknown to relax. What ifs are found everywhere if you look hard enough. 

You’re right.  I guess I’m so scared because melanoma is the deadliest most serious form of skin cancer.  
you’re definitely correct about the what ifs 😭 I hate anxiety.  

[sTeaLth 232]

It will eventually pass. Anxiety always gets better. Just rest in the fact that you already had it looked at by professionals and they didn’t have any concern. That’s all you can ask for.

[Jessi 23]

57 minutes ago, sTeaLth said:

It will eventually pass. Anxiety always gets better. Just rest in the fact that you already had it looked at by professionals and they didn’t have any concern. That’s all you can ask for.

Thank you so much 😊 

[MARC 428]

I had basal cell carcinoma on the upper right part of my nose 14 years ago. My dermatologist sent me to a Mohs surgeon. The surgery was performed in his office. I sat in a special chair and a heart monitor and blood pressure cuff was put on me and I had local anesthesia and the surgery began. He had to go in twice as he said the tumor was bigger and deeper then he had originally thought. He said there was a 99% chance it would  not come and so far it has not. I get a yearly checkup by my dermatologist. 

[Jessi 23]

8 hours ago, MARC said:

I had basal cell carcinoma on the upper right part of my nose 14 years ago. My dermatologist sent me to a Mohs surgeon. The surgery was performed in his office. I sat in a special chair and a heart monitor and blood pressure cuff was put on me and I had local anesthesia and the surgery began. He had to go in twice as he said the tumor was bigger and deeper then he had originally thought. He said there was a 99% chance it would  not come and so far it has not. I get a yearly checkup by my dermatologist. 

Thanks amazing news!!!  
I’m just so worried because melanoma can be deadly 😭

[MARC 428]

My coworker had in-situ melanoma on her cheek and is fine. My friend had melanoma on his stomach and is fine. My daugters friends father had melanoma on his arm and is fine. None were from moles. 

[Ironman 153]

7 hours ago, Jessi said:

Thanks amazing news!!!  
I’m just so worried because melanoma can be deadly 😭

It can be deadly, but it's not going to just develop overnight, too.  It's a matter of "Be aware, not afraid".