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We had a little celebration here this week.  My mom has had 7 melanoma moles (and many other biopsies) over the past 5 years. Crazy right?!? Well a few weeks ago she went to her dermatologist and he decided to just biopsy one, and for the first time in 5 years she is clear to go for three months and didn't have to have another surgery!!! Whoop Whoop!

I decided to use this time to let everyone know how real melanoma is, and can be for young people. This one below was a surgery my mom had January 2012. It was a Stage 1A Melanoma and because of the area that needed to be removed and the location of the mole, the doctors couldn't close the site so she had an open wound for about 3 months. 

And this is how it looks today, a year and a half later...

My mom has been lucky in that all her melanomas were caught early.  Just a few skin exams every year and lymph nodes checked and chest X-ray once a year.

So remember your sunscreen and go to the dermatologist at least once a year for a skin exam. And remember, there is no such thing as a healthy tan.