Have a Mole Since I Was Little Now It is Itchy Red Swollen and Feeling with Pus What Do I Do? What Could It Be?

I would highly recommend that you see a board certified dermatologist for an evaluation to see if a biopsy is recommended.

Most changing moles are harmless but many are not so you need to see your dermatologist for a good evaluation. Initial office visits run around $85 and the biopsy roughly $175-250 under local and is almost painless and is easy to under go.  Sincerely,

David Hansen,MD

Best option is to see a dermatologist and have them evaluate the mole. It may just be a small cyst beneath the mole, but a dermatologist should evaluate it to assure that it isn't an early skin cancer. One of the things that we teach our patients is that if a mole changes it should be evaluated by your dermatologist. "Change" means getting bigger or raised or inflamed or changing color.  About 1/3 of melanomas develop from preexisting moles while 2/3 develop on skin that didn't have a mole so it is important that when you perform a skin self exam (which should be done every month) that you do a "skin" self exam and not just look at your preexisting moles. A board-certified dermatologist should be able to look at the pigmented lesion and give you an opinion as to whether or not it needs a biopsy. Good luck.

The symptoms you describe are most likely due to an infected follicle deep within the mole. Itching, swelling and pus are not the typical warning signs of skin cancer. To be safe, you should be evaluated by a board certified dermatologist. Please use the ABCDE's as your guide for when to be concerned about moles: A for Asymmetry; B for Irregular Borders; C for Black or uneven Colors; D for diameter greater than a pencil eraser; and E for a growth that is Evolving or changing. If necessary, it is an extremely simple five minute procedure for a dermatologist to remove the mole using either a "punch" or a "shave" biopsy which typically leaves a minimal scar. The mole can then be checked microscopically for reassurance.