How to Detect Skin Cancer: Your Comprehensive Guide to Early Identification and Prevention
- Essentials Medi Spa
- Aug 7
- 8 min read
Updated: Sep 2
Is that spot on your skin more than just a freckle? Understanding Skin Cancer Detection
If you’ve noticed a new or unusual spot, a changing mole, or a persistent sore on your skin that’s not healing, you’re not alone. Early detection of skin cancer is critical. Many people experience these concerns around skin changes, and the first step to peace of mind is knowing how to detect skin cancer.
The good news is that most skin cancers are highly treatable when caught in their earliest stages. This guide will equip you with the knowledge you need to confidently examine your skin, understand what to look for on your skin for cancer, and know when to seek help from a professional.
What exactly am I looking for? Signs and Symptoms of Skin Cancer
Skin cancer can show up in many ways. While many moles are harmless, certain changes can be cause for concern. Skin cancer can appear as changing moles, moles that look different from others, dome-shaped growths, scaly patches, and non-healing or recurring sores.
It's crucial to remember that most people with suspicious spots feel fine and don’t feel sick or in pain. The suspicious spot is the only noticeable difference. This means you can't rely on feeling unwell to detect it. We'll explore what to watch for in this section to help you identify skin cancer’s common appearances.
The ABCDEs of Melanoma: Your Simple Guide to Self-Checking Your Skin
When it comes to identifying potential skin cancer, especially melanoma, paying attention to the details is key. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons recommend the ABCDE rule, a simple yet powerful tool to help you learn how to check for skin cancer at home.
Remember, self-examination is the best way to find skin cancer. Keep this guide handy and familiarize yourself with these warning signs:
A - Asymmetry
Most benign moles are symmetrical. If you draw a line through the middle of a mole, the two halves should look similar. An asymmetric mole is a warning sign of skin cancer. If one half of the mole doesn't match the other, it’s time to get it checked.
B - Border
Normal moles usually have smooth, even borders. Look for moles with irregular, notched, scalloped, or blurred edges. These uneven borders are key signs of skin cancer.
C - Colour
Healthy moles are typically a uniform colour, most often brown. If a mole has varying shades of brown, tan, or black, or if it contains areas of pink, red, white, or blue, it's a skin cancer symptom to be mindful of.
D - Diameter
While moles smaller than a pencil eraser (about 6 millimetres or 1/4 inch) are usually benign, it's important to pay attention to any suspicious moles, regardless of size. Any spot or mole larger than this should be examined to detect skin cancer.
E - Evolving
This is the most critical sign. Moles that change in size, shape, colour, or elevation, or that start to bleed, itch, or crust over are evolving. See a doctor right away for changing moles. Self-examinations are important for early detection of skin cancer, leading to better curability.
Your Complete Skin Cancer Self-Examination Checklist
Self-examination is an important habit to effectively detect skin cancer. It’s not enough to look at a few moles. All skin spots should be examined, everywhere on the body.
Try to check your whole body once a month. If you have a family history of skin cancer or have had it before, your dermatologist might recommend more frequent checks. Ask someone you trust or book a mole mapping procedure to examine hard-to-see areas of your body.
Here’s a routine way to conduct your self-examination:
Head to toe scan:
Face: Examine your face, including your nose, lips, and mouth.
Scalp: Use a comb or hairdryer to part your hair and check your entire scalp thoroughly for any unusual spots or growths.
Neck and chest: Look at the front and back of your neck, your chest, and the décolletage area for any new or changing moles.
Arms and hands: Check the tops and bottoms of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
Torso: Examine your abdomen, back, and buttocks. Ask a partner to help with your back if needed.
Legs and feet: Check the front and back of your legs, between your toes, and the soles of your feet for any suspicious spots or discolorations.
Pay special attention to these Important areas:
Under Nails: Brown or black streaks under nails can be signs of subungual melanoma.
Genitals and mouth: Skin cancer can occur in these less-exposed areas, so be sure to check them.
Between toes and soles of feet: These less exposed areas can still develop skin cancer, so don't overlook them.
Scalp: Particularly areas that are bald or have thinning hair, as these are directly exposed to the sun.
Ears: Check both the front and back of your ears.
Don't Wait: When to Schedule a Dermatologist Appointment for Your Skin
You’ve done your self-exam, and now you’re wondering: is this mole or spot something I need a doctor to look at? Trust your instincts. While the ABCDEs are excellent guides, here are specific situations to make a dermatologist appointment for suspicious moles:
Any spot that fits the ABCDE criteria: If a mole or lesion shows asymmetry, irregular borders, uneven colour, is larger than a pencil eraser, or is evolving (changing over time).
Itching, bleeding, or crusting: Even if a spot doesn't fit the ABCDEs perfectly, if it consistently itches, bleeds, or crusts over, it should be examined. A suspicious spot does not necessarily have to itch, bleed, or feel painful, but if it does, that's a strong sign to seek care.
New or changing moles: Any brand new mole or lesion that appears suddenly and looks different from your other moles is a cause for concern.
Non-healing sores: If you have a sore on skin that’s not healing after several weeks, it’s crucial to have it checked by a medical professional to rule out skin cancer.
Unusual appearance: Anything that simply looks different from all the other moles or spots on your body should be checked out. The dermatologist is the best person to determine if you have skin cancer.
Your Dermatologist Visit: What to Expect During a Skin Cancer Screening
Deciding to see a dermatologist is an important step to take care of your skin health. Understanding what happens at a skin check can help ease any worry. Dermatologists are skin care experts with more experience diagnosing skin cancer than other doctors. Here’s a typical breakdown of a professional skin examination:
The examination process:
Consultation: Your dermatologist will likely ask about your personal and family history of skin cancer, any specific skin cancer symptoms you've noticed, and your sun exposure habits.
Visual examination: The dermatologist will thoroughly examine your entire skin surface. This may involve using a special magnifying light called a dermatoscope to get a closer look at moles and lesions. They will check all the areas you might have missed during your self-exam, including your scalp, under your nails, and between your toes.
Biopsy: If a suspicious spot is found, the dermatologist may recommend a skin biopsy for diagnosis. A skin biopsy is always required for skin cancer diagnosis. The dermatologist will typically numb the area and remove all or part of the suspicious spot. The removed skin sample is examined under a microscope for cancer cells.
Discuss findings: After the examination and any necessary biopsies, your dermatologist will discuss their findings with you. They will explain if any spots look suspicious, what your next steps are, and recommend a treatment plan if cancer or precancerous cells are found. Growth makes treatment more complex, so the sooner spots are addressed, the better.
Mole Mapping with Total Body Photography
In addition to a self-examination, you can easily monitor your skin health through Total Body Photography, an advanced mole mapping and skin cancer screening procedure.
At Essentials Medi Spa, Dr. Brooks and Dr. Derie-Gillespie use DermEngine technology to map your moles from head to toe, and monitor changes over time identifying any suspicious spots.
Mole mapping takes less than 15 minutes and is beneficial for anyone with a great risk of developing skin cancer with factors like:
Having many moles (more than 50)
Having a personal history of skin cancer
Having an immunosuppressive condition
Taking any immunosuppressive medication
Having a family history of skin cancer
Having any large moles (more than 1cm in diameter)
Having extensive sun damage to your skin
Use of sunbeds
If the mole mapping detects a suspicious mole or skin lesion, Dr. Brooks or Dr. Derie-Gillsepie will consult with you about mole removal, which is a common procedure.
Understanding Different Types: Melanoma and Beyond
While the ABCDE rule is a helpful guide, it's important to be aware of the specific characteristics of different skin cancers, particularly melanoma, which is the most serious form. Melanoma symptoms can be subtle, but recognizing them is crucial.
Melanoma: Recognizing the Danger Signs
The ABCDEs are particularly crucial for melanoma detection, but the easiest way to identify skin cancer is by symmetry. A symmetric mole is identical in shape on both sides and may mean the mole is not cancerous or precancerous. An asymmetric mole is a warning sign.
Unlike some other moles, melanoma often develops within an existing mole or appears as a new, unusual dark spot. Recognizing these signs and understanding that melanoma is a preventable disease through sun protection is key.
Other Common Skin Cancers:
Basal cell carcinoma: Often appears as a pearly or waxy bump, a flesh-colored or brown scar-like lesion, or a sore that heals and then returns.
Squamous cell carcinoma: Typically looks like a firm, red nodule, a scaly, crusted flat lesion, or a sore that doesn’t heal.
Mole Removal
There are also many different kinds of non-cancerous moles and growths you may wish to have removed. Plastic surgeons like Dr. Brooks at Essential Medi Spa routinely conduct both cosmetic and suspicious mole removals because they’re specially trained in suturing techniques that result in barely visible incision lines.
Proactive Protection: Preventing Skin Cancer and Maintaining Healthy Skin
Detecting skin cancer early is critical, but preventing skin cancer in the first place is even more powerful. Remember, melanoma is a preventable disease. Get into the habit of protecting your skin from the sun to significantly reduce your risk:
Seek shade: Limit your time in direct sunlight, especially during peak hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
Wear protective clothing: Cover up with long-sleeved shirts, pants, and wide-brimmed hats.
Use sunscreen: Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher daily, even on cloudy days. Reapply every two hours, or more often if swimming or sweating.
Avoid tanning beds: Artificial UV radiation from tanning beds is extremely harmful and a significant cause of melanoma.
Continue to perform regular self-exams and attend annual skin checks or mole mapping to maintain skin health. Regular visits to our team at Essentias Medi Spa for aesthetics and skincare treatments allow our experienced professionals to keep an eye on your skin’s health and flag any suspicious spots that may need a closer look.
Stay on Top of Your Skin Health: A Commitment to Early Detection
You now have the information to know how to detect skin cancer from understanding the ABCDEs of melanoma to performing thorough full-body checks and mole mapping with Total Body Photography, and knowing when to seek professional medical advice. Seeing a dermatologist for a suspicious spot provides peace of mind, and knowing what to expect at your appointment can make the process less daunting.
Early detection of skin cancer is your most powerful tool against skin cancer, significantly improving treatment outcomes. Continue with your regular self-examinations every three months, book a mole mapping procedure at Essentials Medi Spa, and schedule annual professional skin checks with your dermatologist. These are essential to help maintain healthy skin and catch any concerns early.
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