| Detecting Skin Cancers
Check your skin every month for changes.
One of the best ways to detect melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, is to know your moles. Melanoma often begins with a change in the size, height, shape, color, texture, or sensation of a mole. Other skin cancers and precancers develop gradually and do not develop in moles.
Check your skin regularly for any changes. Look for new moles and changes in the old ones. If you find something suspicious, see your doctor or a dermatologist as soon as possible.
Use the `ABCD' rule to help you remember what to look for when examining your moles:
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Asymmetry: One half of the mole does not match the other half.
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Border irregularity: The edges are ragged, notched or blurred.
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Color: The color is not uniform.
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Diameter: The mole is greater than 6 millimeters (one quarter inch) in size.
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Do a full-body skin check once a month. Periodic self-examinations of your skin can help you detect irregular moles before they develop into serious conditions. Call your doctor immediately if you notice any lesions, or sudden or progressive changes in your moles.
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Examine your skin in a brightly lit room using a full-length mirror and a hand mirror. First, look at your front and back in the full-length mirror, then turn and look at each side of your body with your arms raised.
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Next, bend your elbows and look carefully at your forearms, the back of your upper arms and palms.
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Sitting down, check the backs of your legs and feet, the spaces between your toes and the bottoms of your feet.
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Using the hand mirror, look at the back of your neck and scalp, your back and buttocks.
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