This story was on bay news 9 this morning, everyone take the time to check out your skin. I am very freckly and have alot of moles and find it alittle hard to discern what looks good or bad.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/8/2008/8/12/370850.html

This is something that I do worry about, but should worry about even more. I have atypical moles (I think the technical name is Dysplastic Nevi) which according to my dermatologist means I'm at a higher risk for skin cancer right off the bat.

I have hundreds of moles all over the place and a lot of them look atypical (although they are not). Because of the fact that I have so many and because they often do look suspicous it's really hard to tell when they really are a problem (as opposed to people who have just a few that generally look normal so that when they do start to change you can definitely tell).

I do pay attention to them pretty closely, and I'm supposed to get skin checks every 3 months (rather than yearly) but that's where I've got to start being more dilligent. It's been more than a year since I've been in. Time to schedule that appointment!

I will also be seen every 3 months for 5 yrs, which I feel I will not procrastinate over (we'll see after a year of it) but a few months or a year can make a huge difference for detection. I think I heard that same term Dysplastic Nevi about me but I was in a fog when I went to see the Surgical Oncologist (NEVER thought I would walk into a Cancer center as a patient)

Thank you Momof5 for posting this information. I'm a very pale freckly girl. I do try to stay on top of this myself. Both of my parents have had some skin cancer, my mother mostly. My mom also had 2 of what you have and has seemed to recover. She goes about every 6 months for check ups. Every time she goes, they find a little something.

I wish someone would have preached to me about sun/tanning damage when younger. Having a great tan just isn't worth it.