What should you know about flat melanoma?

A melanoma may stay level with the skin while abnormal pigment cells grow. Warning features include an uneven outline, multiple colours, a new dark or pale area, asymmetry, or a lesion unlike the rest of your moles. Symptoms such as bleeding, crusting, persistent itch, or soreness can add concern, but some melanomas cause no sensation. A flat mole is not automatically melanoma; diagnosis depends on examination and pathology.

Make a dermatology appointment for a new or changing flat mark. Record its location and changes, and bring previous photographs if available. Avoid scratching or attempting removal. If melanoma is diagnosed, surgical excision is commonly discussed, with the plan guided by the pathology report. Depending on the stage, care may also involve sentinel lymph node biopsy, additional surgery, immunotherapy, and structured follow-up after cancer treatment.

Seek prompt assessment when a mark changes in size, outline, colour, or symptoms. Bleeding without a clear injury, an ulcerated surface, or rapid visible change warrants timely medical review. After a melanoma diagnosis, new severe headache, weakness, confusion, or seizure should be treated as an urgent symptom rather than waiting for a routine skin check.

What makes this lesion concerning? Will you sample it or remove it completely? How will the pathology result guide staging, treatment, and follow-up?