Approximately 6 months ago I noticed a small skin colored bump in my SCALP. it may have been there for years for all I know. It was slightly raised and definitely less than the size of a pencil eraser (probably half). I have put a photo of it on my profile and it is the only photo. It is barely visible. In the photo it is in the middle of my fingers along imaginary line connecting the top of the two fingernails. Hard to see because it is skin colored. I went to dermatologist 6 months ago and she checked my scalp and did not think it was an issue. The best I can tell it has not grown at all since. I have some anxiety issues so I check it often. 3 days ago I fixated on it and started touching it more. I scheduled a visit with a local plastic surgeon and he looked at it and said he was not concerned. I also went to my dermatologist again. This time it was red from where I had been picking and poking at it. She said "If I were you let's remove it". She said she thought it was keratosis and not an issue but if she removed it she was required to send it to pathology. She said she was 100% it was not melanoma or nodular melanoma and if she was suspicious she would not even do a shave biopsy and would send me somewhere else for removal. As you can see this thing has consumed me and I am looking for more assurance. Waiting for biopsy result is so hard. It never hurt or itched I just kept touching it because I knew it was there. It never bled. The surgeon said he saw two hairs growing out of it. Some days it even felt smaller than normal. What could this be? Was she required to send it off to pathology? And do you think it could be a melanoma or worse yet nodular melanoma?
2014-12-12 02:47:42
Hello Thanks for posting your query. I can understand your concern for the skin colored scalp bump. However since you have got it examined from three doctors it should give you relief that it is a harmless pathology rather than melanoma. Your dermatologist is right because any growth after removal has to be sent for histopathology examination. But this does not mean that the growth is cancerous. In fact it is a routine procedure done to avoid missing any dysplasia or melanoma. I can understand that any painless growth could raise the suspicion of a malignancy but there are some cardinal signs of a melanoma. Melanoma has an irregular border is asymmetricaluneven color and increasing in size. Nodular melanomas show EFG property which means E for elevation (Early elevation above the skin surface) F means firm to touch and G means growth (growing more than two to three weeks). Since the bump on your scalp is not growing hence it is unlikely to be nodular melanoma. From your symptoms it can be a pilar cyst or seborrheic keratosis both of which are harmless and benign. Pilar cyst is a common cyst of the scalp. It is smooth mobile and filled with keratin. Another possibility although unlikely would be proliferating pilar tumor which is most common in older individuals aged 50-75 years although they have been reported in individuals aged 20-30 years. It presents as single firm-to-soft painless nodule and inflammation ulceration bleeding and yellowish discharge may occur. What exactly it is can be confirmed only after biopsy and histopathological examination. It is the most confirmatory test and will put all suspicions to rest. So I suggest you to agree to your dermatologist and get it biopsied. Hope that this information helps and hope that you will get better soon. Wishing you good health.
2014-12-12 02:48:42
