Part 2: Signs Of Melanoma

If you haven’t done so already, it’s worth looking at Part 1 of this guide on how to perform a mole check at home.

Melanoma is one of the most serious types of skin cancer and the easiest way to alert you to be suspicious of a mark on your skin is by following what we call “The ABCDE guideline”:

A – ASYMMETRY
half of the spot or mark has a different shape or colour than the rest
B – BORDERS
the edges are irregular, blurred, notched or ragged
C – COLOUR
different shades of black or brown and sometimes patches of red, white or blue
E – EVOLVING
changes in shape, colour, elevation. Traits such as itching, bleeding or crusting
D – DIAMETER
the area is larger than 6mm (about the same size as the end of a pencil)

If any of these match your moles, then it is best to have your skin examined by a skin doctor.

Check Regularly – Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the UK. Most skin cancers can be cured if detected early. About once a month check your skin for moles or marks that are changing or new. In adults, about 70% of melanoma cases are not associated with existing moles but form as new marks on the skin. Melanoma is one of the most dangerous forms of skin cancer. The new mark may look like a mole, a flesh-coloured bump, a flaky, raised, coloured patch or a spot that will not go away. The safest thing for a suspicious mole is to be properly removed and analysed.

IF IN DOUBT…
Get a second opinion from a specialist