Melanoma symptoms: How to spot signs, and when to see a doctor

Ohio State dermatologists are reminding everyone to learn the signs of melanoma to increase the odds of early detection.

Melanoma — the deadliest and most aggressive form of skin cancer — is diagnosed approximately 76,000 times each year in the U.S.

While sun safety practices — like sunscreen usage — can prevent many cases, spotting the symptoms of melanoma early and seeing a doctor raises the chances of successful treatment.

The OSUCCC – James melanoma specialists recommend performing a monthly skin self-exam (the ABCDE method) to look for areas on your skin with any of the following:

A – Asymmetry: one half of a mole or lesion does not look like the other half.

B – Border: the edges of a mole or lesion are uneven or look ragged.

C – Color: the color of a mole or lesion is not the same all over, hav more than one shade or color to it.

D – Diameter: the size of the mole or leasion is larger than a pencil eraser (about 6 millimeters).

E – Evolving: The mole is changing in size, shape, color or beginning to bleed.

Other symptoms may include:

- satellite moles – new moles that grow near an existing one
- new changes in size, shape or color
- sores that won’t heal
- a mole or lesion that oozes, bleeds or forms a hole in the skin when the top layer of cells break down, allowing the tissue below to show through (ulceration)

#thejames #melanomaawareness #dermatology

[themoonstarsisters]

I have a mole that fits the first three circumstances so I’me worried and another one that fits the first two

[FusionTrain]

For all of you worrying:
If you've had the mole for as long as you can remember, its 99% of the time NOT cancerous.
I recently had a new mole that was very dark brown and even black in places appear, literally over the last couple days.
Fingers crossed it isnt cancer.

[JOHNrandomlyVLOGS]

It's not Melanoma awareness month. It's SKIN cancer awareness month. melanoma isn't the only type of skin

[Aries_WaterDragon_OG]

I have a mole on my pinky finger which is a bump (no kidding) and I'm scared now

[encyclopedia]

Nope, not your kind anyway, but I do have a mole called planet. Get back inside my head.