I just wish the OP and others well. I know what it is like to go for checkups and many more biopsies.
Melanomas can appear ANYWHERE. A colleague’s wife had one on her labia. Definitely not a spot expose to sunlight.
Best wishes, cnp55. You are doing the right thing!
I’ve actually heard that melanoma on the bottoms of the feet is one of the most common places for melanoma to get missed, and that a good way to measure your dermatologist’s worth is if he checks the bottoms of your feet when you go in for skin cancer screening. Mine always has me bend my knee while standing on the other leg so he can check the soles of my feet (or sitting on an exam table, and raising them both up).
I actually have a dermatologist’s appt. tomorrow that is outside of the norm for my visits with him. I just saw him in June and was not scheduled again until December. But my massage therapist has noticed (and with her direction, I now see it) that, what I think is a keratosis on my back, has really grown over the summer. I knew it was getting bigger, but figured it could wait until December to have it taken off, so when she said something, I thought, I’ll try to see if I can get in sooner. I stopped by my derm’s office on Tuesday to pick something else up, and told them what my massage therapist said to me - the nurse (working at the reception desk) said, “Those massage therapists - they’re always keeping an eye out for us!” And then she was somehow able to schedule me in for tomorrow, which is very unusual to get in that fast. So that’s another set of eyes I have working for me since I see my MT on a regular basis.
It’s hard to avoid freaking out, but basically, the process is simple.
You go to the dermatologist. They do a biopsy (which means taking a sample – or sometimes the whole visible mole – and sending it to a lab. They use a local anesthetic, just like the dentist does, so don’t worry that you’ll jump when they scrape off the sample. You won’t feel any discomfort except the needle prick.
You leave with instructions on how to take care of the biopsy site. You come back two weeks later. If the spot is nothing of importance, which is usually the case, they just look at the biopsy site to make sure it didn’t get infected, and you’re done. If it’s any kind of skin cancer, they will need to remove more tissue to make sure they got it all.
Don’t be surprised if it takes a long time for your biopsy site to heal completely. That’s typical of sites on the legs and feet. My dermatologist says it has to do with the lower extremities having less circulation than other body parts do.
You all have inspired me to see a dermatologist about a place on my leg and one on my back. I have an appointment Monday afternoon. 
FWIT, I had a rather suddenly appearing large spot on my chest. Dark, and flat, it seemed to come from no where in 6 months or so. Had it biopsied and removed. Benign. I was so sure it was melanoma.
I had a spot on my arm that just never seemed to go away. I finally brought it up with a dermatologist and she was fine with removing it, because it was visible and annoyed me, even tho she said it was NOT cancer or pre-cancerous or anything similar. We have a TON of sun in HI.
How do you see spot in the back? I’m as blind as a bat, I now need to check in between my toes.
Mirrors and cell phone cameras are your friend. Looked to me like the insignificant mole was a little different. When I actually got a photo of it, and enlarged it on the phone --OMG on the phone to derm in minutes!
If you don’t have a significant other to keep an eye on your back, is there a good friend you can ask?
Also, ask your hairdresser to examine your scalp. Melanoma and other things can appear there. And ladies the GYN can also look at those areas, I have a relative who had a mel on her labia.
Finally, your dentist and eye doctor also check for melanoma!
My husband looks at my back between visits and I check him out. I go to the dermatologist every six months in any event. She has me lie down and has definitely looked at my feet. Not at my vagina though! Who knew you could get a melanoma there! Ouch!
I had something behind my ear last week. I made dh take a picture of it. I was pretty sure it wasn’t serious, but I went off to the dermatologist who said it was just a cyst, but she kindly cauterized it, as it was annoying me.
My gyns business partner died from melanoma so he is very in tune with the risks. Mucosal melanoma is different from regular skin melanoma but just as nasty. Plus you may not notice a spot on your derrière that is easily seen with your feet in the stirrups
Oh, and especially if you’ve had a melanoma make sure your ophthalmologist knows - apparently you can get them on your retina too. Mine now makes a point of taking a good look.
You all have me scared. I’ll make an appointment ASAP with dermatologist.
I worked with a woman who died from melanoma that started in her vagina. Scary stuff.
@cnp55: When do you get the results of the biopsy?
He said 14 days … so a week from this coming Thursday, or earlier. He was very careful to take a lot of tissue. It’s healing up well. OTOH he took off one of those vascular bumps on my chin and that hurts a lot!
It’s torture waiting for the biopsy, I know. I had a suspicious spot removed from a place where the sun don’t shine. It was thankfully benign but until I got the biopsy results back I became Dr. Google and looked at all those photos online of melanomas until I had convinced myself that mine was cancerous. My advice: Don’t do that. I worried for two weeks for nothing.
Out of curiosity, how do you get melanoma from where the sun doesn’t shine, I thought it’s something to do with the sun.