May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and Melanoma Monday is a good reminder to look at the spots on your skin that you normally ignore. Melanoma is not the most common skin cancer, but it is one of the most important to recognize early.
You do not need to become your own dermatologist. The goal of a self-check is simpler: notice what is new, changing, or different from the rest.
Q: What are the ABCDEs of melanoma?
A: Dermatologists use the ABCDE guide to describe warning signs that can make a mole or pigmented spot worth examining more closely.
- A – Asymmetry: One half of the spot does not match the other.
- B – Border: The edge is irregular, scalloped, blurred, or poorly defined.
- C – Color: There is more than one color or an uneven distribution of color.
- D – Diameter: Melanomas are often larger than 6 millimeters when diagnosed, but they can be smaller.
- E – Evolving: The spot is changing in size, shape, color, surface, sensation, or behavior.
The “E” is especially important. A lesion that is changing deserves attention even if it does not perfectly match every other letter.
Q: What is the “ugly duckling” sign?
A: Most people have a general pattern to their moles. A spot that looks distinctly different from the rest—darker, larger, unusually shaped, or simply out of place—can be an important clue. Dermatologists sometimes call this an “ugly duckling.”
Q: Does melanoma always look like a dark mole?
A: No. Melanoma can appear as a changing mole, a new pigmented spot, a firm growth, a sore that does not heal, or even a pink or reddish lesion. It can also occur beneath a nail or on the palms and soles.
That is one reason relying on a single photograph or internet comparison can be misleading.
Q: Can people with darker skin tones get melanoma?
A: Yes. Skin cancer can occur in every skin tone. In darker skin tones, melanoma and other skin cancers may occur in areas that receive little sun exposure, including the palms, soles, toes, fingers, and nails.
A new or widening dark streak under a nail, a changing spot on the sole, or a non-healing lesion deserves evaluation. Sun protection remains important for everyone, but skin checks should not be limited only to sun-exposed areas.
Q: How should I perform a basic skin self-check?
A: Use good lighting and look from head to toe. Check the scalp, behind the ears, back, buttocks, between the toes, soles of the feet, and the nails. A partner or handheld mirror can help with areas that are difficult to see.
Taking a clear photo of a spot can be useful if you are trying to determine whether it is changing over time. Do not let photography delay an appointment when a lesion is clearly evolving, bleeding, painful, or concerning.
Q: How often should I get a professional skin check?
A: The right interval depends on your individual risk factors, including personal or family history of skin cancer, number and type of moles, sun exposure history, immune status, and previous abnormal biopsies. A dermatologist can help establish an appropriate schedule.
If you notice a new mole, a changing spot, a lesion that looks different from your others, or an area that repeatedly bleeds or fails to heal, schedule an evaluation rather than waiting for your next routine visit.
Borealis Dermatology provides skin checks, evaluation of suspicious lesions, biopsies when appropriate, and treatment for skin cancers. Learn more about our skin cancer services.
Borealis Dermatology sees patients in Garden City, Syosset, and Bellerose, NY. Book Appointment.
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Continue reading about skin cancer signs in darker skin tones.