The ABCD's of Skin Cancer Detection

Now that it's summer, it's time for tanks, tees, shorts, and sundresses, but it's also time to examine your body for blotches and blemishes that may not have been there last season.
 
Early detection of skin cancer is one way to arrest it in its early stages.  Oftentimes, a dermatologist can remove a malignancy on the skin it has not spread with no further complications.

So how do you know if the mole that’s been there forever is malignant?  The American Cancer Society has set forth some guidelines that you can use to determine if you should be worried. Take a closer look at the spot in question and apply these criteria:

• The letter A stands for asymmetry.  An asymmetrical spot is a red flag.  Some dermatologists recommend taking a marker and drawing through the center of your mole and examining both sides.  If each side looks the same they are symmetrical.  If they don’t, make an appointment.

• The letter B stands for border.  Can you tell definitively where your freckle begins and ends or are the borders blurry and ill-defined.  Most skin cancers have irregular borders.

• The letter C stands for color.  Benign moles are usually only one color.  If you detect a multicolored spot that has various shades of red, black, or brown, plan to have it looked at soon.

• The letter D stands for diameter.  If the size of your spot is the size of a pencil eraser or has grown over the last year or so, see your dermatologist.