It’s a crummy card, being born with fair skin

Hey everyone. First-time poster. I won't lie, I feel a little guilty, albeit selfish, for making my first post a call for help. I also feel very uncomfortable about this because I have never spoken about it with anyone. It has remained a secretive issue, one that has always dented my self-image.

I've always had more moles than the average person. They're all over me. They range in size, but none have ever been very concerning. They've typically followed the ABCDE's.

More recently, however, in the past few years, more have been popping up all over me. There are a bunch of small red ones in every location of my body. There are enough now to where it has become a serious concern. I won't take my shirt off around anyone- it has damaged my social life and I don't feel comfortable discussing it with anyone close.

The one time I made mention of it was when one of my friends asked me why I always had bandages on my arms and legs. I told him I was using ACV to eat away some pesky moles and he told me I was insane. He did not react supportingly at all to my insecurities and was kind of freaked out by it. I know this isn't a good idea because it can hide malignant melanoma, but when you're so down in the dumps about it and don't have the money for professional care, what else are you going to do?

It's so bad, I haven't had a lay in over three years. Any time a lass comes along, I push her away out of fear that she'll be disgusted once I take my shirt off. It's that bad. Be as it may, however, I can live with a poor sight of a body because I can still be ambitious and try accomplishing things in life. What I can't live with is a hidden melanoma, because I know melanoma is a swift killer.

I am 25 years old, and unfortunately, the unlucky one of the family to be born with a fair complexion. On summer outings, the focus was always on me to wear sunscreen, and a whole lot of it, too. I always believed if I just tanned up enough, that I could do away with the sunscreen and join my peers without fear on the beach.

Sadly, life doesn't work this way. I've endured several extreme burns that have left me in agonizing, itching pain. When I thought I was some beach-hunk, I ended up paying for it for the next week by keeling up next to a fan to keep my burning skin cool so the itch wasn't so intense.

I believe I am now paying the price for my ignorance toward proper skin care in the sun.

Maybe all of this introduction could have been skipped. I'll now explain why I'm here.

Three years ago, a mole developed on my chest, one that isn't like the rest. It is not symmetrical. There is a light shade on one side, but the other side is darker. Here is a picture of it. I know that I will be told to see a dermatologist if I'm concerned (working on that), but I would like to see what you guys think.

This mole hasn't changed, at least from what I can remember, but after reading more about melanoma and seeing sample malignant images, some have come across looking exactly like the one I have.

Here it is: http://i67.tinypic.com/2zznhq1.jpg

This is located on my left pectoral, slightly below my collar bone. At the bottom center of the image (or center of my chest) is one of those red moles I was telling you about. They are all over my body and have been rapidly appearing over the past few years.

It doesn't ever itch or bleed or any of that, but when I saw sample assymetrical images, I started to panick. I know that melanoma can spread rapidly, and if this is malignant, I may already be screwed because of how long it's been there (which may explain the rapid formations everywhere else. Who knows, I'm no doc).

I was just curious to see what someone else thought before I start collecting my things to see a dermatologist. Life is short enough already, I would rather have some extra time to go out and do things I love, instead of living in constant fear. Who wouldn't, though?

Thank you for bearing with me through this introduction. I am so sorry for being selfish and making my first post a call for help. I really didn't know what else to do, though. Any opinions or advice is graciously welcomed.