Anyone here ever have skin cancer?

[Sum Dum Gai]

I've got these three spots on my upper abdomen that are freaking me out. Before anyone says it, I know I need to make an appointment with my doctor and get them looked at. However, I'm hoping you guys can set my mind at ease.

The spots in question are really small. They almost look like little bug bites or something, except they're bright red and have been there for at least a week. Maybe longer. They don't itch, they don't hurt, they don't look like pimples or anything. They aren't raised. They're just bright red little dots on my skin about an inch or two apart.

Does that sound like skin cancer or something else? I know it's weird asking on here, but WebMD is useless. Every time I go on there it tells me I have cancer or a brain tumor, whether I'm looking up symptoms like runny noise and sore throat, or skin spots.

[steph08]

My mom has a bright red spot on her back, and I can't remember what it is called, but hers is nothing to worry about (she had her doctor examine it).

All of my severely abnormal (would eventually turn into cancer if left untreated) moles have been very, very dark, almost black.

But I would have any skin changes checked out. And I would recommend going straight to a dermatologist, especially if you haven't visited one before. My primary care doctor just said 'yep, you should have a dermatologist check that out.' Thanks, waste of a $20 copay!

[NancysSummerSip]

There's a kinda-related thread about this over on the regular YM board, The cost of skin cancer.

Quite a few of us, myself included, have been through it. Bottom line...if you have insurance, it should cover a trip to a dermatologist. Stop worrying and go. Could be nothing. Could merit a biopsy. Could merit removal. You won't know unless it gets checked out.

[midjd]

Doesn't sound like skin cancer - and IIRC, most skin cancer forms from an already-present mole, rather than new spots that appear out of the blue. How many dots are there?

Have you changed your laundry detergent recently? You wouldn't believe how many rashes I've gotten from crap like that. (A lot of times, they don't itch). Been outdoors in any weird spots? Bought new clothes? Changed your diet?

My professional medical opinion* is that it's probably either some kind of contact dermatitis or insect bite. My tactic is to wait 2 weeks to see if whatever-it-is goes away (it usually does). So I'd say give yourself another week and make a doctor's appointment if they're still there.

*I am not a doctor.

[Angel!]

I have a bright red, little spot on my abdomen that has been there for about 2 years. My Mom looked at it & told me those are normal as you age & my Dad & Grandma have both been dealing with skin cancer for the last 2 years, so my Mom has at least some knowledge in the area.

Of course, you still might want to get them checked. Medical advice on a forum has been known to be questionable at best ;D

[busymom]

Bedbug bites?


My Dad had skin cancer more than once, but it was on parts of his body that were often exposed to the sun. I'm not sure how old you are, but you will start getting red spots on your body in your 30's or 40's. I've forgotten what they're called. (Welcome to middle age.)

But, as the others suggested, it's always wise to just plain get 'em checked out.

[Angel!]

Maybe it is this:
www.skinsight.com/adult/cherryHemangioma.htm

Something else to read:
www.skinsight.com/info/blog/2009/05/27/red-moles-skin

[Sum Dum Gai]

How many dots are there?

Three.

Have you changed your laundry detergent recently?

Nope.

Been outdoors in any weird spots?

Nope

I'm not sure how old you are, but you will start getting red spots on your body in your 30's or 40's. I've forgotten what they're called. (Welcome to middle age.)

I'm 30... so it could be normal age spots I guess. I never realized people got bright red ones though. They look like somebody poked me with a bright red sharpie or something.

Maybe it is this:
www.skinsight.com/adult/cherryHemangioma.htm

They look just like that! Good, those sound harmless.

[kittensaver]

I checked out the photo and from what I can tell, they look like the beginnings of small moles. As time goes on they will darken. BUT BUT BUT if they get "angry" or itchy, morph into an irregular shape, seep/weep or anything else that doesn't "feel right" of course get them checked out.

Naturopathic medicine believes that these red spots are a symptom of adrenal stress.

[Colleenz]

Small red spots on the upper abdomen are the first signs of an inoperable brain tumor. Tough times told me her hairdressers cousins dog walkers nurse found these once, and he was dead within the week. It's been nice knowing you Dark.

[Sum Dum Gai]

Naturopathic medicine believes that these red spots are a symptom of adrenal stress.

What the heck is adrenal stress? Like my adrenal glands are under stress due to my diet, or like I'm under stress due to over/under active adrenal glands?

[kittensaver]

Adrenal stress as in - stress in your life. As in, because you're under stress, your adrenal glands are working (or working overtime) pumping out the hormone adrenaline. This is a good thing if you're a cave man attempting to get away from a tiger who wants to eat you for lunch, but a bad thing if you're a contemporary person living under the daily stresses of modern life. Stress as in - the reason everyone tells us to "chill," "relax" or "meditate" for our health.

[justme]

Count me in with another that says it probably isn't cancer, my derm has never told me to keep an eye out for red things. The last time I went in for red dots/rash type it was 1) eczema and then 2) vasculitis. It's probably neither of that for you since it's rare for the former not to itch (though my first breakout didn't) and I was told the later goes away on its own (I had it treated because I had other symptoms, though recurrences that haven't been as bad went away on their own).

[Deleted]

It might be worth the $20 copay just to get a dermatological record started. Problems start when things change on you. If you go back 5 years from now and that weird blobby thing shaped like a duck looks the same, then it is harmless. If it starts looking like a submarine, they need to cut it off. (unqualified medical advice: ducks are okay, submarines are bad)

In the end, the rule of thumb for skin cancer is
A - assymetrical
B - irregular border
C - changing color
D - diameter larger than a pencil eraser

Fail any of those guys and you want to get it sliced off sooner rather than later.

[midjd]

^ Very good advice - and apparently there's now an E for moles - Evolving. Otherwise known as the Duck-Submarine Theorem...

[GRG a/k/a goldenrulegirl]

Jun 14, 2012 14:37:47 GMT -5 @craftysarah said:

It might be worth the $20 copay just to get a dermatological record started. Problems start when things change on you. If you go back 5 years from now and that weird blobby thing shaped like a duck looks the same, then it is harmless. If it starts looking like a submarine, they need to cut it off. (unqualified medical advice: ducks are okay, submarines are bad)

In the end, the rule of thumb for skin cancer is
A - assymetrical
B - irregular border
C - changing color
D - diameter larger than a pencil eraser

Fail any of those guys and you want to get it sliced off sooner rather than later.

And sores/pimples that won't heal or heal and open back up again too easily.

ETA: known fact from personal experience. My little button nose isn't quite as cute as it was 2 years ago thanks to a rather large MOHS procedure to remove a basal cell carcinoma that I thought was just a pimple with nine lives.

[pinkbow832]

I have something that looks just the same that was a result of over zealous scrubbing with a new body wash thingy. I'm sure you're fine, but in all reality it's a good idea to go to a dermatologist every couple of years to have moles checked, that was if anything changes or looks slightly problematic they can catch it early. Its definitely worth the $20 or whatever copay, and the heckling about using sunscreen is way better than the dentist heckling about flossing.

[❤ mollymouser ❤]

Red spots on one side of your torso can also be the start of shingles.

[Peace Of Mind]

Dark, you will be fine. I also talked to TT's hair dresser's cousin's dog walker... I started getting them in my 30's and they are just broken little tiny veins. I have one now on my upper belly area and I've had them on my back and shoulder (DH told me). But I would err on the safe side and get them checked out. Mine always go away in time.

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Jun 14, 2012 16:51:19 GMT -5 @chef241 said:

voices.yahoo.com/what-those-tiny-red-dots-skin-might-mean-4947470.html

From your description, the spots seem normal, Dark.

Dude, I totally have those too! They've been around for ages, and don't change, so I've never worried about them. I really liked the above article on them. Thanks for the link!

[Rocky Mtn Saver]

Jun 14, 2012 14:26:43 GMT -5 kittensaver said:

Adrenal stress as in - stress in your life. As in, because you're under stress, your adrenal glands are working (or working overtime) pumping out the hormone adrenaline. This is a good thing if you're a cave man attempting to get away from a tiger who wants to eat you for lunch, but a bad thing if you're a contemporary person living under the daily stresses of modern life. Stress as in - the reason everyone tells us to "chill," "relax" or "meditate" for our health.

What does adrenaline have to do with blood vessels at the surface of the skin? I've had them stable for years, no matter what's going on in my life, good or bad.

[Gardening Grandma]

I've gone to the dermotologist about a spot I was concerned about and been told, "That spot is fine. THIS, however, concerns me" and then had a cancer removed that I was unaware of (back of my shoulder where I couldn't see). I've had a couple of basel cell carcinomas removed and a squamos cell carcinoma removed.

It's most likely nothing to be concerned about, but do get it checked, for your own piece of mind

[roselia]

've got these three spots on my upper abdomen that are freaking me out. Before anyone says it, I know I need to make an appointment with my doctor and get them looked at. However, I'm hoping you guys can set my mind at ease.

The spots in question are really small. They almost look like little bug bites or something, except they're bright red and have been there for at least a week. Maybe longer. They don't itch, they don't hurt, they don't look like pimples or anything. They aren't raised. They're just bright red little dots on my skin about an inch or two apart.

Does that sound like skin cancer or something else? I know it's weird asking on here, but WebMD is useless. Every time I go on there it tells me I have cancer or a brain tumor, whether I'm looking up symptoms like runny noise and sore throat, or skin spots.

It may be freckles of a sort or just plain - acne. I know my upper arms have quite a lot of what you've described there but now they've reduced in size and amount.

[happyhoix]

I got small dark red spots starting in the 30 - 40's. I asked my Gyno about them during my annual and he said they are caused by broken capillaries. One of the little pleasures of getting older.

Never hurts to check though. I had a spot show up where one never was before and had it removed and checked, it was nothing, but at least I don't have to wonder about it. The dermo said at the time to look for previously regular shaped moles turning irregular or darker, those are usually the bad ones.

[NastyWoman]

Jun 14, 2012 16:45:44 GMT -5 Peace Of Mind said:

Dark, you will be fine. I also talked to TT's hair dresser's cousin's dog walker... I started getting them in my 30's and they are just broken little tiny veins. I have one now on my upper belly area and I've had them on my back and shoulder (DH told me). But I would err on the safe side and get them checked out. Mine always go away in time.

I miss TT. She had such great stories to tell even if I believed less then half of them