# New moles appearing on skin?



## Mm87 (6 Jun 2016)

Hi, I didn't really know if I should post this thread here, but being Cycling related (sort of) i was interested to know if anyone has noticed any moles appearing on their skin with the vast amount of sun exposure us cyclists have during the summer, is it anything to worry about?

Last year I spent hours a day on the bike all through spring and summer, stupidly never used any suncream because I found it uncomfortable with sweating etc, plus I have olive skin so I don't tend to burn.....I just turned very brown! Lol.

This year I haven't been out on the bike much at all due to some fatigue issues (burnout) I'm trying to deal with and my skin is now quite pale since I've been mostly indoors. What I've noticed though is I've developed 4-5 extra moles on each arm (had only a few before this), even one has appeared on my calf which I thought was odd.

Since I'm no longer on the bike and the appearance of all these new moles I'm now cautious about sun exposure (if not somewhat paranoid! Lol), I try not to sit purposely in the sun (still don't use suncream tbh), are the new moles anything to worry about?

Thanks in advance.


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## srw (6 Jun 2016)

Have you been to see your GP? That should be your first port of call for medical advice.


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## vickster (6 Jun 2016)

srw said:


> Have you been to see your GP? That should be your first port of call for medical advice.


This  probably nothing to worry about but skin cancers are a real risk in any age group, and can be especially aggressive in the young

Start using sunscreen too regardless of your perception of skin colour


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## mjr (6 Jun 2016)

Mm87 said:


> Last year I spent hours a day on the bike all through spring and summer, stupidly never used any suncream because I found it uncomfortable with sweating etc, plus I have olive skin so I don't tend to burn.....I just turned very brown! Lol.


Find a better sunscreen. There's many sorts out there and a recent thread on here suggesting some of the better ones. https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/best-sunblock-that-doesnt-sting-the-eyes.201421/

I burn fairly easily so I see two choices: sunblock or don't expose it to the sun much if you can avoid it.


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## ianrauk (6 Jun 2016)

Myself being of the ginger persuasion I am very careful in the sun. I never sunbathe and always cover myself in factor 50 when heading out on a bike ride. I am always careful to check any moles that I have have changed. Raised, inflamed, bumpy etc

Go to your GP, get them checked out. Just becuase you don't burn doesn't mean the sun isn't doing damage to your skin.
Splash on that sunscreen or wear looser fitting long sleeved cycling jerseys.


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## Milkfloat (6 Jun 2016)

I had an hour snooze in the sun yesterday and now have hundreds of new small moles on my belly/chest. They literally appeared in just a few hours, very weird.


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## Mm87 (6 Jun 2016)

Thanks for all your replies, I'll go to the Drs to get them checked out and from now on try to remember to wear sunscreen!


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## lazybloke (6 Jun 2016)

Good man. 


From what I remember, staying inside (or in shade) during the sunniest part of the day is also advised. And to be aware of UV forecasts. 
Moles that change shape & colour are the ones to look out for, especially if those moles don't have a clearly defined border.

Also, found this beeb article : here with links to more info.


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## Jody (6 Jun 2016)

Not sure what others think but I used P20 on holiday last time in Spain and it worked a treat. One application in the morning and it protected me and my better half all day. There was no need to apply after swimming so might be ideal for cycling (sweating).

Edit: Just spotted Mjray's post and a lot of people recommending P20 also.


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## vickster (6 Jun 2016)

Milkfloat said:


> I had an hour snooze in the sun yesterday and now have hundreds of new small moles on my belly/chest. They literally appeared in just a few hours, very weird.


Freckles or moles?


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## Milkfloat (6 Jun 2016)

vickster said:


> Freckles or moles?



I say freckles, wife says moles because they are as dark as my existing moles. I am a bloke who rarely troubles doctors, so I will ignore them unless they go lumpy or change shape significantly.


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## steveindenmark (6 Jun 2016)

This may help you. It worked for me.

https://www.toddcaldecott.com/moles-apple-cider-vinegar/


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## Brandane (6 Jun 2016)

Mm87 said:


> Thanks for all your replies, I'll go to the Drs to get them checked out and from now on try to remember to wear sunscreen!


Coincidently I was at my GP last week to get a brown patch on the back of my hand checked out as it seems to have grown, and sometimes itchy too.
She reckons it is sun damage and age related (54) so nothing to be overly concerned about, but to keep an eye on it.
My GP visit has at least given me peace of mind, and hopefully you will have the same outcome.


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## coco69 (6 Jun 2016)

Mm87 said:


> Hi, I didn't really know if I should post this thread here, but being Cycling related (sort of) i was interested to know if anyone has noticed any moles appearing on their skin with the vast amount of sun exposure us cyclists have during the summer, is it anything to worry about?
> 
> Last year I spent hours a day on the bike all through spring and summer, stupidly never used any suncream because I found it uncomfortable with sweating etc, plus I have olive skin so I don't tend to burn.....I just turned very brown! Lol.
> 
> ...




Sorry to be heavy footed on this but 1st port of call is arrange an appointment with Gp rather than post on the forum
Sometimes answers to questions really are too obvious


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## Asa Post (6 Jun 2016)

On a totally irrelevant (and irreverent) note, this reminds me of advice given by the late Daphne Whitethigh (aka Betty Marsden) - spoof agony aunt on Round the Horne:

"People have been asking how they should remove unsightly moles from the legs.

Personally, I hit 'em with a spade".​On a more serious note, last year I had an old mole which started to itch like b***ery. GP sent me to hospital, where the expert took one look and said "Benign, nothing to worry about". 
She then added "But, I can see sun damage all over your skin. Every minute of exposure will make things worse. The skin never forgets exposure, or recovers from it. Start covering up. If you can't do that, use SPF 50 and reapply regularly".


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## jefmcg (7 Jun 2016)

I spent some time with people in a retirement village in Queensland. So people in their 70s, 80s and 90s. That's the great tanning generation, laying out in the sun in the 1950, 60s and 70s. It was depressing how of them were regularly having small "cancers" removed from their skin. In fact my inlaws were bitching about someone who was "whining" after "only" having 2 removed. "He should ask Jack. Jack has had eight removed so far this year"

Keep an eye on them. Look for changing, raised, inflamed. If you aren't sure, keep a photographic record, so you can tell if it's changing. And be a bit pushy if you are concerned; the NHS has a shortage of dermatologists.


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## Levo-Lon (7 Jun 2016)

May be these..harmless , but can be worrying until you see a dermatologist..who will put your mind at ease...they are age related too...post 40's

http://patient.info/health/seborrhoeic-warts-leaflet


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## vickster (7 Jun 2016)

The OP is young iirc


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## Levo-Lon (7 Jun 2016)

Nearly 30 going by the 87...not that it matters..hopefully its nothing


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## vickster (7 Jun 2016)

Probably just more freckles from too much exposure, but he should use sunscreen if out a lot this summer  
I seem to recall he's a student, late teens early twenties, could be someone else of course!


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## ColinJ (29 Mar 2018)

I'll resurrect this thread rather than starting another very similar one ...

I have sensitive skin so I have to be careful. I have moles, lots of freckles, and burn easily. Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way ...

I got badly sunburned as a child and avoided much exposure to the sun for 25 years after that. I eventually got complacent though and I have had 2 major sunburn episodes as an adult after taking up cycling again. My back and shoulders ended up covered in huge weeping blisters after one ride in a sleeveless top on a very hot summer afternoon when I forgot to put sunblock on. The exposed skin freckled badly and 20 years later the freckles still mark the outline of the top.

Anyway ... a 10 mm x 8mm mole has now developed in the burned area and has some potentially worrying characteristics. For once in my life I decided to do the sensible thing - I was in the local health centre today for a blood test, and after that I got a nurse practitioner on drop-in duties to take a look at the mole. She thinks it would be a good idea for a GP at the practice who has a lot of experience with skin disorders to do a more thorough check so I am booked in next week for that.

I hope it doesn't amount to much, but if it _is _a problem then at least we should have caught it in time.


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## Drago (4 Apr 2018)

Having survived a malignant melanoma scare I would urge people not to needlessly expose them selves to the Sun, and to report any new blemishes (or changes to existing blemishes) post haste to a Doc, if not sooner. That shizzle kills people.


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## ColinJ (4 Apr 2018)

I've just got back from the doctor. She thought that the warty mole that I was concerned about is _probably _ok, but better to have it removed anyway. I also pointed out another dark blemish which had caught my attention. It has a dark centre which I think has slowly got darker over the past year or so. Again, better to cut it out sooner rather then later.

I'll get an appointment through in the next couple of weeks. I will probably have to stop taking my Warfarin a week or so beforehand to reduce the likelihood of excessive bleeding. (I nicked my finger on a sharp knife lurking in a washing up bowl a couple of weeks ago and it bled A LOT!)

Samples from both areas will be sent to the hospital lab to be checked for signs of anything sinister.


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## ColinJ (7 Apr 2018)

I got fast-tracked - my appointment is the week after next.

I just received a letter telling me not to worry that I have been referred for an urgent appointment. It went on to say that it probably will NOT be cancer but that IS what they will be looking for. Do NOT miss the appointment. Oh, and I should bring a family member or friend with me ... 

Somehow, I am more worried by that "_Don't worry_" letter than I was wondering what the dermatologists might find!


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## midlife (7 Apr 2018)

You will have gone through a "2 week" referral system which is routine for this situation. Good luck


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## ColinJ (7 Apr 2018)

midlife said:


> You will have gone through a "2 week" referral system which is routine for this situation. Good luck


Thanks. I don't think I will actually worry until I get to the front door of the hospital. The letter did say that about 9/10 tests come back negative. If I happen to be one of the unlucky 1/10 then at least it will have been caught at an early stage.


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## Heltor Chasca (7 Apr 2018)

As an aside, white arm warmers are useful in summer.

I did 20+ years in Africa and I work outside. I have darker, resilient skin, but still err on the side of caution. This year I’m going to be using zinc block for my lips and nose. Popular with cricketers for obvious reasons. Yes I may look ridiculous, but longevity is my choice. I lost a friend (from Yorkshire) 9 years ago to skin cancer. Unbelievably aggressive cancer which started on his shoulder: 6 months after diagnosis, he was dead.


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## glasgowcyclist (7 Apr 2018)

Milkfloat said:


> I had an hour snooze in the sun yesterday and now have hundreds of new small moles on my belly/chest. They literally appeared in just a few hours, very weird.



Sunbathing in your string vest again?


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## Ming the Merciless (7 Apr 2018)

When I was a kid I thought I had got freckles by running through a field of wheat.


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## ColinJ (7 Apr 2018)

Heltor Chasca said:


> I did 20+ years in Africa and I work outside. I have darker, resilient skin, but still err on the side of caution. This year I’m going to be using zinc block for my lips and nose. Popular with cricketers for obvious reasons. Yes I may look ridiculous, but longevity is my choice.


Hmm - I always forget to put any protection on my lips! 



Heltor Chasca said:


> I lost a friend (from Yorkshire) 9 years ago to skin cancer. Unbelievably aggressive cancer which started on his shoulder: 6 months after diagnosis, he was dead.


I'm sorry to hear that. 

Stories like that are why I decided to be sensible this time and go to the doctor to get the blemishes checked.


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## Julia9054 (7 Apr 2018)

Went to my GP with a dodgy mole on my ankle about 5 years ago. "Oh, i know what that is" she said "nothing to worry about, would you like me to chop it off anyway?" "Yes please" and off it went.
Went to the docs last summer with one on my arm. Different doc "Definitely nothing to worry about " "Can you chop it off anyway " i asked.
"Not allowed to do that any more - Dr Jones was always a bit scalpel happy"
He gave me a leaflet for a private clinic. £200! I'll live with it i think!
Or maybe set myself up to undercut. How hard can it be?


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## Heltor Chasca (7 Apr 2018)

Julia9054 said:


> Went to my GP with a dodgy mole on my ankle about 5 years ago. "Oh, i know what that is" she said "nothing to worry about, would you like me to chop it off anyway?" "Yes please" and off it went.
> Went to the docs last summer with one on my arm. Different doc "Definitely nothing to worry about " "Can you chop it off anyway " i asked.
> "Not allowed to do that any more - Dr Jones was always a bit scalpel happy"
> He gave me a leaflet for a private clinic. £200! I'll live with it i think!
> Or maybe set myself up to undercut. How hard can it be?



There’s a recent ‘Short Cuts’ podcast by Josie Long where an American producer gets a mole ‘DIYed’ by some med students for almost the same reason. Looked like a piece of chewing gum. Glad it was a podcast.


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