I've never had one, is everyone supposed to get one? I don't even have a dermatologist. It doesn't sound like fun, but if it's something we're supposed to do...
I've never had one, is everyone supposed to get one? I don't even have a dermatologist. It doesn't sound like fun, but if it's something we're supposed to do...
Sally
My Joyful DS
My Lovely DD
Please excuse the typos. Getting used to a virtual keyboard
Yes-recommended once per year. It's good for pretty much anyone: if you are in the sun, have had prior sun burns(who hasn't) or melanoma that run's in the family. Your first one, they will document the location and size of any larger moles so they can keep track of them through the years.
I can't say enough about how important I realized they were last year. I grew up in a beach area but had been out of the sun for years (no more beach body) and was shocked that after 6 biopsies that were done on me during several visits, the last one and least suspicious was melanoma. Luckily it was considered "stage 0" , meaning they could tell on the biopsy that they got it all and it was not mastesized. I had surgery to remove the surrounding area to be sure it was gone. My follow up treatment is to get these scans 4 times per year for the next two years and basically biopsy anything that looks strange. I have a lot of sun freckles and moles so I pretty much look like I have scars all over from the biopsies but scars are much better than cancer, in my book!
DD 12/05
DS 07/07
Twin DS's 5.18.2011
Wow, ok, I guess I should find a dermatolotist.
Sally
My Joyful DS
My Lovely DD
Please excuse the typos. Getting used to a virtual keyboard
I've had several mole checks and none have been as thorough as some of you have had. Wow. Maybe it's because my derm is older?
DS1 11/03
DS2 5/09
My DH is friends with some "dermies" and rotated through derm during his med training. Let me tell you, checking the anal crease, labia, and between the toes pretty much separates out the dedicated dermies from those who should have found work with the cosmetics industry. If your derm is not checking those places thoroughly I would find a new one. DH did see patients on that rotation where cancerous moles where found in those areas . . .
A big WOW here too. I think I'll be finding myself a female dermatologist. This stuff scares me.
" I object to violence because when it appears to do good, the good is only temporary; the evil it does is permanent." Mahatma Gandhi
"This is the ultimate weakness of violence: It multiplies evil and violence in the universe. It doesn't solve any problems." Martin Luther King, Jr.
I've been meaning to do this for years, and never gotten around to it. I'm so glad I read this, b/c I had no idea how thorough it was!
Lori
Mom to Jason 05/05
and Zachary 05/10
I used to go yearly but have let it slide for the past two years. This was a good reminder for me to get back to it! I have female dermatologists too.
My DH suggested last night that I just limit the scan, but I was thinking exactly as you suggested - if I do a partial scan now, I'll just need to go back to a different derm for the full scan, so best not to even waste anyone's time. So I ended up canceling this morning's appt (the dr doesn't have any partners working with him) and now I need to find a female derm. And just like you, I had a lot of sun exposure as a child and have a lot of freckles and moles, plus a family history of melanoma, so I really need to go get this done. And since I'm no spring chicken, I have years of sun exposure to worry about