Could A Flat, Asymmetrical, Multi-colored Mole With Nearby Dry, Tender Skin On My Lower Leg Be Melanoma?

Posted on Mon, 11 May 2020

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 11 May 2020 Answered on

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 Last reviewed on

Question : I am a 35 year old male. While checking my right lower leg for ticks after walking in the woods, I noticed a patch of dry, peeling skin adjacent to what looks like an abnormal mole. To my eyes, the mole is flat, has no texture, has more than one color, and looks asymmetrical. There is some tenderness to the area around the mole, mostly confined to the area of dry skin. It feels much like a bruise beneath that area. There is no itching. I don't recall any trauma to the area. I plan to have this evaluated in person, but I would like to have some sort of assessment by photographic appearance as to likelihood that this is a melanoma.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (-4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Regarding a spot on leg? Dysplastic mole? Petechial spots

Detailed Answer:

Hello,

Welcome to 'Ask a Doctor' service. I have gone through your query and viewed the image.

It could be a small sized mole or perhaps a hemorrhagic or petechial spots from scratching against a background of redness and scaling of flaky eczema making the spot seem like it is variably colored.

I suggest you use a moisturizer and a moderately potent topical steroid cream e.g., either Mometasone Furoate cream or Triamcinolone Acetonide cream to help resolve the inflammation which would then help me to discern the morphology of the mole more clearly.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if you need any more assistance.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Kakkar (41 minutes later)

Thank you Dr. Kakkar. In different light, it has a slightly bruised look in that spot, which may explain the tenderness when I press the area around it. It may that the “mole” is coincidentally there.

It is roughly between 2 and 2.5 mm in diameter.

I realize that biopsy is the only way to know for sure, but photographically—does this present in a way that is suggestive of melanoma?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Kakkar (17 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Nothing to worry

Detailed Answer:

Hello,

Thank you for your follow-up query.

If it indeed is a mole, it looks like it is a very small, flat mole and all small, flat moles less than 5mm in size are essentially benign unless raised above the surface. This one looks pretty much normal in terms of size (2-2.5mm) and seems to have regular margins. There is no color variegation and it doesn't look asymmetric to me.

Take care. I hope this helps. Thank you.

Regards

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D