Ugh, yesterday I had two moles removed at the doctors and got
stitches. One was on my left hip and the other on my left forearm. The doctor didn't say I have the cancer though. But he will send the moles to be looked at and see if they were cancerous. Eventually I will be getting some more removed.
What is also weird is, no one else in my family has a history of it.
Anyone ever had any removed? Or have any?
What Is Melanoma?
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer.
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer. It begins in skin cells called melanocytes.
Melanocytes are the cells that make melanin, which gives skin its color. Melanin also protects the deeper layers of the skin from the sun's harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.
When people spend time in the sunlight, the melanocytes make more melanin and cause the skin to tan. This also happens when skin is exposed to other forms of ultraviolet light (such as in a tanning booth). If the skin receives too much ultraviolet light, the melanocytes may begin to grow abnormally and become cancerous. This condition is called melanoma.
How and where does melanoma appear?
The first sign of melanoma is often a change in the size, shape, or color of a mole. But melanoma can also appear on the body as a new mole.
- <LI class=title>In men, melanoma most often shows up:
- on the upper body, between the shoulders and hips
- on the head and neck
In women, melanoma often develops on the lower legs.
- <LI class=title>In dark-skinned people, melanoma often appears:
- under the fingernails or toenails
- on the palms of the hands
- on the soles of the feet
Although these are the most common places on the body for melanomas to appear, they can appear anywhere on the skin. That's why it is important to always examine your skin to check for new moles or changes in moles.
With early diagnosis and treatment, the chances of recovery are very good.
The chance of getting melanoma increases as you get older, but people of any age can get melanoma. In fact, melanoma is one of the most common cancers in young adults. Each year, more than 50,000 people in the U.S. learn that they have melanoma.
Melanoma is a serious and sometimes life-threatening cancer. If melanoma is found and treated in its early stages, the chances of recovery are very good. If it is not found early, melanoma can grow deeper into the skin and spread to other parts of the body. This spread is called metastasis.
Once melanoma has spread to other parts of the body beyond the skin, it is difficult to treat.
Many factors can increase your risk for developing melanoma.
- <LI class=title>These risk factors include:
- Fair skin, light eyes
- Many freckles
- Severe, blistering sunburns as a child or adult
- Family history of melanoma
- Having had melanoma in the past
- Non-cancerous, unusual looking moles (called dysplastic nevi)
- More than 50 moles on the skin
- A weakened immune system
- Exposure to UV radiation from tanning salons and tanning beds
Melanoma occurs more often in people with fair skin that sunburns or freckles easily. Usually, these people also have red or blond hair and blue eyes. Fair-skinned people have less melanin in their skin, which means they have less protection against the sun's damaging ultraviolet rays.
People who have had one or more severe, blistering sunburns as a child or teenager also have an increased risk for melanoma. Because of this, doctors advise parents to protect their children's skin from the sun. Sunburns in adulthood are also a risk factor for melanoma.
Melanoma sometimes runs in families, so people with two or more close relatives who have had melanoma also have an increased risk.
People who have already had melanoma have an increased risk of getting melanoma at another place on their body.
Certain patterns of moles also commonly go along with an increased risk of melanoma, such as having unusual moles called dysplastic nevi. The risk of melanoma is also greater for people with a large number of ordinary moles.
People with a weakened immune system (such as people with HIV/AIDS or people who are taking medicines that suppress the immune system), also have a greater chance of getting melanoma.
Anyone heard of Melanoma?
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