Getting regular skin cancer checks can help catch melanoma and other types of cancer early, when they are smaller and easier to treat. You can check your skin yourself or see your doctor for a full-body exam.
Your doctor will look at the shape, size, color and texture of your moles and spots and may recommend a biopsy. This is a safe and quick procedure that involves removing the suspicious spot and sending it to a lab for testing.
Changes in your moles
It is important to check your skin cancer checks regularly, especially any areas that have been sunburned in the past. This will help you notice any changes to a mole or other spot that may be cancerous. You should also ask a friend or family member to check parts of your body that are hard to see, such as your scalp and back.
If a suspicious area is found, your doctor will probably recommend that you have a biopsy. This involves removing a small amount of tissue and checking it under a
microscope for cancer cells.
Your specialist will also look closely at any other spots on your skin, using an instrument called a dermatoscope, which can magnify the skin up to 10 times and is painless. They may take photographs of any abnormal areas or moles to make it easier to compare them over time.
Changes in the size or shape of your moles
If you notice any change in the size or shape of a mole, it's important to see your doctor. This includes moles that become larger, uneven in shape or bleed.
Your doctor will examine the area and may recommend further tests. These tests may include a skin biopsy, where your doctor removes some of the suspiciouslooking skin for testing in a lab.
This test can help your doctor tell whether or not a change is caused by cancer and what type of skin cancer it is. It may also help determine if the cancer has spread to other parts of your body.
It's a good idea to check your entire body, especially areas that don't get much sun (like the soles of your feet and the insides of your ears). You can use a full-length mirror in bright light to examine these hard-to-see spots. If you can't see these areas well, ask a friend or family member to check them for you.
New moles
Many people get new moles in adulthood. This is normal and usually nothing to worry about. But it's important to monitor them, especially if they show signs of being cancerous. This includes changes like asymmetry (one half of the mole doesn't match the other) or uneven color, and ragged edges that may bleed or ooze.
If a new mole appears on your body as an adult, have it checked out by a doctor as soon as possible. This should include a full body examination, including the soles of your feet. A doctor will use a mirror and a light to check your entire body for any suspicious spots or moles.
If your family members have a lot of atypical moles, it might be a sign of familial atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome, which increases your lifetime risk of melanoma by 17.3 times.
Changes in the color or texture of your moles
Fortunately, most moles that change are not cancerous. But, if they are, they need to be treated. It’s important to find and treat these early on to prevent them from growing and spreading to other areas of the body.
A mole that is changing in any way can be melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer checks near me. Look for asymmetrical (one half doesn’t match the other), or border irregularity (the edges are jagged, scalloped or blurred). Melanomas are often uneven in color with multiple shades of brown, tan, black and pink.
It is also important to watch for bleeding, oozing or itching from any mole. If you notice any of these changes, make an appointment with your doctor immediately. Getting these and other moles checked regularly is the best way to detect them in their earliest stages when they are usually easier to treat.
Changes in the color or texture of your skin
It is important to get any skin lesions checked by a doctor, particularly one who specializes in skin disease. A professional skin check, usually performed by your primary care physician or a dermatologist, involves looking at your whole body, especially hard-to-see areas.
If the exam shows that you have a possible skin cancer, more tests will be done to confirm that it is cancer and what type of skin cancer it is. These include a biopsy (removing a small piece of the suspicious-looking skin for lab testing) and imaging tests to see if the cancer has spread.
Most types of skin cancer are easily treated when they are caught early. The best way to catch them is by getting regular skin cancer screenings and checking your skin regularly for new or changing moles.
