The most common form of cancer is…
And we are sure you’ve heard time and again how important preventative steps are - not staying out in the sun too long, avoiding peak hours, sunscreen, etc. - but even with taking the proper precautions, we still need to be aware of our bodies and the signals it can give us to let us know that something is up. Same goes with your skin.
So check yourself!
Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, and it’s extremely important that you catch it early. Doctors have developed a strategy to help with early detection.
A) Asymmetry. In particular with moles. Symmetrical moles on your body are benign (non-cancerous), but if you see one that is asymmetrical - meaning that if you drew a line down the middle of it, the two halves would not match - it’s a warning sign for melanoma.
B) Borders. Again with moles, if a mole has a defined ‘border’, it’s likely benign. But a malignant (cancerous) mole has no defined border or is very messily developed.
C) Color. Benign moles mostly are all one color (a single shade of brown usually), but if you see a variety of colors on a mole, then you’re looking at potential melanoma.
D) Diameter. How big is the mole? Larger is usually not better. Melanomas are usually larger than the diameter of a pencil. So, if you find a large mole has developed, get it checked out.
E) Evolving. Common moles don’t really change. The ones you’ve got to look out for are the ones that change - in size, shape, color, etc. - and those can be malignant.
Please pay attention to your skin! And of course, practice safe, preventative skin care so that you are doing all that you can to yourself (and young ones) safe.
Remember the ABCDEs - if a mole pops up, then make sure it not’s something serious.