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Expert care for a wide range of skin conditions, ensuring healthy, radiant skin.

Lesions & Bumps

Comprehensive care for skin lesions and bumps, promoting clear and healthy skin.

Lifting & Tightening

Advanced treatments to lift and lighten the skin, enhancing firmness and brightness.

Rejuvenation

Revitalize your skin with advanced treatments designed to restore a youthful glow.

Skin Treatments

Effective solutions for a variety of skin concerns, promoting clear and healthy skin.

Wellness

Holistic skincare approaches to support overall skin health and well-being.

Advanced, non-invasive treatments to rejuvenate your appearance without surgery.

Body Treatments

Transformative, non-invasive treatments to sculpt and tone your body effortlessly.

Facial Treatments

Rejuvenating facial treatments to refresh and enhance your natural radiance.

Hair Treatments

Advanced treatments to restore hair vitality and promote healthy growth.

Injectables

Minimally invasive injectables to smooth wrinkles and enhance facial contours.

Precision cosmetic surgery tailored to enhance and refine your natural beauty.

Body Surgery

Expertly performed body surgeries to reshape, contour, and enhance your physique.

Breast Surgery

Specialized breast surgeries to enhance shape, size, and symmetry for a natural look.

Cosmetic Andrology

Advanced procedures designed to enhance male aesthetics and address intimate concerns.

Cosmetic Gynaecology

Tailored surgical solutions to enhance feminine aesthetics and improve intimate well-being.

Facial Surgery

Precision facial surgeries to refine features and achieve natural, balanced results.

Fat Transfer/Removal

Advanced fat transfer and removal techniques to sculpt and enhance your body’s contours.

Comprehensive solutions to address a range of body concerns, from stubborn fat to skin laxity.

Breasts

Tailored solutions for breast concerns, including size, shape, and symmetry.

Other Areas

Targeted solutions for stubborn areas of the body, tailored to your unique needs.

Volume & Contouring

Specialized treatments to enhance body volume and improve overall contour for a balanced silhouette.

Holistic care focused on improving overall health and well-being for a balanced lifestyle.

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Comprehensive care to support digestive health and improve overall well-being.

Energy & Immunity

Holistic approaches to boost energy levels and strengthen your immune system for optimal health.

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Personalized strategies to maintain and enhance your overall health and vitality.

Expert care for a wide variety of skin and facial concerns, promoting a healthy, glowing complexion.

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Expert treatments to minimize ageing signs, rejuvenating your skin for a youthful glow.

Skin Texture & Tone

Advanced treatments to improve skin texture and even out tone for a smoother, radiant complexion.

Specific Areas

Targeted treatments to address skin concerns in specific facial areas for balanced, refined results.

Volume & Contouring

Tailored solutions to restore facial volume and enhance natural contours for a more youthful appearance.

When a friend uses your referral code, they'll get £50 off their first treatment, and you'll get £50 off your next one.

The more friends you invite, the more you earn.

How Fast Melanoma Grows?

Quick Summary

Melanoma does not grow at the same pace for everyone. Some people develop it slowly over the years, while others can develop it faster in just a few weeks. One-third of melanomas may grow 0.5 mm per month, and in some rare cases you will notice extreme rapid development. Early detection and treatment within your trusted healthcare professionals can save your life.

Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that begins in melanocytes, these are cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its colour. Melanoma is less common than other skin cancers, but more dangerous because it can spread quickly to other parts of your body.

Melanoma grows in two main phases:

How fast melanoma moves from radial phase to vertical phase greatly varies. This is why melanomas look harmless for years, while others become aggressive very quickly.

People with family history of melanoma may have inherited traits that increase risk. Some genetic conditions and skin types also play a role that cause cancer cells to grow faster.

Ultraviolet (UV) exposure is the strongest environmental risk factor for melanoma. You can be exposed from sources like the sun or sunbeds.

Also, people who had severe sunburns from childhood or teenage years, fair skin, light hair, freckles, and large numbers of moles are at higher risk.

Related read:

Your immune system controls abnormal cell growth. If you have a weakened immune system, melanoma may grow and spread faster.

People who had organ transplant, are undergoing chemotherapy, or take long-term immunosuppressive medication are more at risk of aggressive melanoma. These individuals need regular skin checks and assessment.

Not every melanoma growth is at the same speed. Some are easier to detect while others are more difficult and more dangerous types.

Experts suggest that one-third of melanomas develop at a rate of 0.5 mm or more per month. This size refers to growth in depth, which is a key factor in knowing how melanoma is to spread.

Slow-growing types tend to stay close to the skin surface for a long time. Fast-growing melanomas can be noticeable in a short time when skin changes develop faster.

How fast melanoma grows differ on each person and the type of melanoma.

In some rare cases, the skin cancer can grow thicker and quickly, about 15 mm in 8 weeks. This does not always happen, but it only shows that it can be an aggressive melanoma if not found and treated early.

Some fast-growing melanomas can be life-threatening within 6 weeks. This is the reason why UK skin experts treat quick-changing moles as urgent cases. Melanoma growth is measured using , to know the tumour stage in the TNM (Tumour, Node, Metastasis) staging system for melanoma skin cancer. The thicker growth means higher risk of spread.

Related read:

Melanoma can be more dangerous if it has spread beyond the skin. This is called metastasis.

In the early stage, 15 to 26% of melanoma cases may spread to other areas of the body in 1 to 3 years if left untreated. Melanoma usually spreads first to the lymph nodes and may travel to organs such as the lungs, bones, liver, or brain.

Factors that may increase the risk of spread include:

There are other forms of rare melanoma that behave differently and they are harder to detect.

Melanoma starts to appear as a new or changing mole. Dermatologists recommend using the ABCDE rule:

Another sign is that one mole is noticeably different from all other moles in the body, this is called the "ugly duckling rule".

Diagnosis involves removing the mole by excising it and examining it under a microscope. Pathology reports include Breslow thickness and mitotic rate, which can predict how fast the skin cancer may spread and grow.

Related read:

In this stage, melanomas are limited to the skin and often grow slowly and are cured with surgery.

The melanomas are thicker and may involve lymph nodes. There may be growth and spread at these stages.

Melanoma has already been spread to other organs. Melanoma can progress quickly without treatment at this stage.

Treatment depends on the stage and whether it has already started to spread.

Related read:

Melanoma does not grow the same way for every person. Some grow slowly and may not cause a concern at first, but others can grow and spread in a span of weeks.

When melanoma is found early, treatment is usually very effective, around 99% of people with melanoma in the early stage survive. But when melanoma spreads to other organs, survival drops to 33%.

This is why it is important to understand how fast melanoma can grow. If you notice any new or changing moles, get them checked as soon as possible. Acting early and seeking professional advice can save your life.

Reserve a melanoma appointment

One of our experts will be more than happy to answer any questions you have.

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Jaswinder Marwaha

Had an initial consultation, the staff put you at ease immediately and were very knowledgable. Would recommend to anyone that is thinking about going to a clinic.

16th June 2026

Ah Q

I had a positive experience with Dr Cumbo. This was for a review and procedure. There was close attention to detail provided

13th June 2026

Melis Mackley

Love this clinic I practically live here

16th June 2026

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The Harley Street Skin Clinic is an award-winning boutique private cosmetic clinic in the heart of London. We offer the most advanced surgical and non surgical techniques in our fully-fitted consulting rooms, state-of-the-art operating theatres and purpose-built aesthetics and laser suite.

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