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I have a suspicious mole on my arm. It is two colours. It's brown and has a very dark nearly black centre. I have a lot of moles on my body. This mole looks different than the rest of them due to the colour. I went to my GP and she referred me to the hospital for removal of the mole. I think she said the plastic surgeon department for removal. She referred me as an urgent case. I am not very stressed or anxious about the possibility of a cancer. I read online that there's a few different forms of cancer and some of them can be slow growing cancer. Hopefully it won't be cancer. However there's something in the back of my mind thinking maybe it might me. There were many different stresses in my life over the past number of years that I will not go into. I think maybe this might be a cancer. I was investigating my arm again today. A few inches down my arm and a few inches away from the questionable mole is another mole that I don't like the look of. There's two different shades of brown in it and it looks very slight asymmetric. It's hardly noticeable. It looks like two moles on top of each other or one that is spilling outwards. Now I am concerned due to having two moles that look questionable located withing inches of each other. I am waiting for a referral. I was just at he GP this week and she sent the referral this week. She sent it in as an urgent case. Just wondering how long would I be waiting for to be seen by thr hospital? I am a public patient. I am in Galway.

A number of weeks after receiving first two Covid vaccine a mole emerged on top right arm. Kept an eye on its development a number of months later got a private appointment with a dermatologist . Got it taken out and it was determined to be Stage 1a melanoma and two months after that got appointment for wider excision and told got everything. Follow up is with dermatologist every 3/4 months and he is checking lymph nodes - no ultrascans suggested - it fact just this. . Question: I keep hearing about a protocol care pathway for melanoma cancer which is the same for public and private patients but no one can give me documents or information has given me any information . I am reading all sorts of research documents on links with Covid vaccine on the internet and now getting very concerned . has this come up in this forum before

Hi all, About 5 years ago (19 years old) I was diagnosed with superficial melanoma. I had the procedures and checkups and all was good. Thankfully! Ever since, I’ve been battling anxiety from it. Always wondering if I’ll have more problems, constant worrying about every freckle and always thinking the worse for no reason. If anyone can relate and has received help to cope with the anxiety, I’d love to hear from you as I’m not sure where to go and it’s affecting my everyday life.

Hi, I have a very large birthmark on my leg which up until last December had no change. Then I got a black mark on it which then turned into an ulceration. My GP sent an urgent referral as he reckons I have 4 out of 5 characteristics of melanoma. I got my appointment within 4 weeks which is the 14th of this month with the dermatologist but I was wondering what to expect at the appointment. It is an extremely large birthmark so would the call me back to biopsy it? Thanks everyone x

Hi, I am looking for information with regards to results my mam was given last week, she has a small lump on her nose and had biopsy done and they told her in naas hospital that it's melenoma but it's growing outwards, they have told her that she could be 6 months waiting to be seen in James hospital to see will they remove or give her a cream, she's a previous breast cancer patient and is upset with getting this news and dose not want to wait 6 months for an appointment so I am looking for advice on how we could have this done privately?

Hi there, I had a punch biopsy on my hand, I was wondering how lomg will I be waiting for results? Thank you!

I was referred to a Consultant Dermatologist last July 2019. I had a mole on my neck which was changing. I finally got a call on 23rd December for a consultation on 2nd January 2020. I had the entire mole removed on 15th January 2020. I thought it was okay, it was removed so I really didn't give it much thought until I got my results on 25th February 2020. I did not expect to be given a diagnosis of melanoma. The thickness was 1.5mm and the stage is 1B which is early but I had to wait 6 weeks for results which really threw me. Initially, my form was good, at the time I remember thinking why am I so upbeat. This didn't last. This turned into furious anger. Why me? I always wear high factor protection, I am not a sun worshiper, I don't use sunbeds. I am having a WLE and SNB done this week. I am terrified, I won't tell a lie. I am a single Mom to an almost 16 year old daughter. I had to tell her last night, she is still in shock, I am still to be honest, I haven't really gotten my head around it because I was not expecting the diagnosis. I am just hoping that it hasn't spread any further. It has been so upsetting and stressful so far, if I have to face another bit of bad news, I don't know how I will cope.

A few weeks ago I noticed a black dot on the inside of my arm. My gp referred me to dermatologist who I saw last week and today I had an excision biopsy. I photographed it over the past 4 weeks and it has changed so rapidly. I know I’ve had it removed now but the wait for results is terrifying. Trying to keep my mind off it but can’t help but get consumed by the ‘what if’s’ It was very small, black and raised, jagged edges but filled out over past few weeks and became darker. I’m a single Mum so I’m just worried about the possibilities. Now with Christmas I know the results will probably take longer. Anybody have any idea? Or advice? Or been through similar? Thank you

Hi, I had a mole removal on April 8th, 2021. It was my 2nd mole removal procedure, first one was done two years ago, and I was doing it in a different country. Wanted to ask about getting results in Ireland... I have called my GP and they still haven't received my results. Called the dermatologist today, and they have said the results were already sent, however, they will send it once again to my GP. I am under stress a bit... Could you please tell me from your experience how GP is calling out the results for the following procedure? Do they tell you if it's all good over the phone or there will be an appointment anyway, no matter the result? I have been referred for the mole removal around the end of March, since then around 20 new moles appeared so I am going crazy a bit waiting on that result... Thank you for your support in advance. Regards, Daria

I’ve had a biopsy to remove a mole and was told my GP would let me know the results in 4/5 weeks. I receive a letter from the hospital five days after my biopsy to say that I am due a review appointment in a month. I was meant to have the review appointment in two months. When I rang to find out why my appointment had been changed, I was informed that the consultant had asked for it to be moved up to a sooner date to recieve my biopsy results. Now I am worried it could be bad news, anyone ever go through something similar? Any advice would be amazing. I know I shouldn’t focus on a negative outlook but I’m so worried.