What can be mistaken for melanoma?

What can be mistaken for melanoma?

To better illustrate the appearance of mimics, we’ll present six photographs of common skin conditions that have been mistaken for melanoma.

  • Solar Lentigo. These are more commonly known as age or liver spots.
  • Seborrheic Keratosis.
  • Blue Nevus.
  • Dermatofibroma.
  • Keratoacanthoma.
  • Pyrogenic Granuloma.

Can melanoma be misdiagnosed?

Many cases of misdiagnosis of melanoma result in fatality. If a physician did not properly diagnose melanoma in time to administer proper treatment, the physician or facility may be liable. An attorney can help patients to recover costs associated with treatment that are a result of a misdiagnosis.

What are the signs of melanoma that distinguish it from other skin irregularities?

Use the “ABCDE rule” to look for some of the common signs of melanoma, one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer:

  • Asymmetry. One part of a mole or birthmark doesn’t match the other.
  • Border. The edges are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred.
  • Color.
  • Diameter.
  • Evolving.

What does malignant melanoma look like?

Malignant melanoma can have a variety of physical characteristics. Some melanomas are small, hard bumps on the surface of the skin, while others show up as flat, black marks underneath a fingernail.

Is melanoma raised or flat?

Melanoma occurs when the pigment cells, or melanocytes, in the skin become cancerous. Skin lesions due to melanoma may be raised or flat and are often dark brown or black. However, color variation within the lesion is very common with melanoma. This can include variable shades of brown, black, red, blue and even white.

Are melanomas scaly?

Feeling – A waxy, scaly or crusty mole is often a warning sign of some form of skin cancer other than melanoma. However, in more advanced cases of melanoma, the texture of the carcinoma can become hard or lumpy, itchy, tender or painful and may ooze or bleed.

Does melanoma hurt?

Melanoma can cause a mole to hurt in a way that can be described as pain. However, other factors can also cause pain to come from a mole.