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"Hey doc, what in the hell is this?" Itchy red spots? Weird two-headed growths? We asked New York dermatologist Bruce Robinson, M.D., to help us ID those weird spots all over your body

Men's Fitness, March, 2004

WORTH WORRYING ABOUT?

Yes. Most moles are harmless, but a mole like this--with an irregular border--can be a warning sign of something serious, like skin cancer. To perform your own check, just think ABCD. Anything that's Asymmetrical, that has a weird Border or Color, or that's larger than the Diameter of a pencil eraser needs to be checked out by a dermatologist (that is, someone who charges a lot more than your regular doc).

WORTH WORRYING ABOUT?

No. These little blood-blister-like spots are called cherry angiomas. Lucky for you, they're benign. Incredibly ugly and repulsive to anything with breasts, yes--but benign nonetheless.

WORTH WORRYING ABOUT?

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Yes. Cauliflower-like lumps on your finger, around your fingernails, or on the thick skin on the palm of your hand or foot are plain old warts and not that dangerous. (Most come from a virus picked up in gyms and pools.) But if the wart shows up somewhere else, set off the alarm bells. Ever feel a super-smooth raised area on your face? It could be a flat wart. They won't kill you, but they spread incredibly easily--especially when you're shaving. Even worse: warts on your penis. See a doc.

WORTH WORRYING ABOUT?

NO. These fun little flesh-colored chew toys are called skin tags. They may not have the circus quality of, say, a second head or a third nipple, but these little flaps and folds still have plenty of freak appeal. They're also completely harmless. You can have them removed surgically--or slip while shaving and "accidentally" cut one off, but it may bleed a lot.

WORTH WORRYING ABOUT?

Yes. On first look, you may think "pimple." But this is actually a basal-cell carcinoma, the most common type of skin cancer. How can you tell the difference? Pimples are pus-filled. Pop 'em and they go away. Basal-cell carcinomas are red bumps--no pus--that may go away and come back but always show up in the exact same spot.

WORTH WORRYING ABOUT?

Yes. Small bumps and blisters between your fingers, on your wrist, or the back of your elbows, knees, groin, or butt could be a sign of scabies. It's bad. The itchy condition is caused by a colony of eight-legged mites that surreptitiously burrow their way into your skin. You can acquire scabies from any sort of skin-to-skin contact with someone who is infected.

"Hey doc, what in the hell is this?" Itchy red spots? Weird two-headed growths? We asked New York dermatologist Bruce Robinson, M.D., to help us ID those weird spots all over your body

Men's Fitness, March, 2004

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