How to Recognize Melanoma

Melanoma carcinoma (malignant melanoma) is a highly dangerous skin cancer caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays. Melanoma appears as a mole-like formation on the surface of the skin, but it can grow deeper into other layers of the skin if it remains undetected. If caught and treated at an early stage, melanoma is usually not fatal. When examining moles or other skin growths for melanoma, there are five main warning signs to be aware of. While it is important to regularly examine your skin for possible melanomas, it is absolutely necessary to consult a physician anytime there is a suspicious growth anywhere on your body. Only a doctor can perform the tests needed to absolutely determine whether are not a growth is cancerous.

Things You'll Need

• Hand-held mirror
• Full-length mirror

Show More

Instructions

• 1

  Examine your entire body for signs of melanoma in a well-lit room. It is best to do this in a room with a full-length mirror so you can see as much of your skin as possible. A hand-held mirror may be necessary to check the hard-to-see spots.

• 2

  Examine the edges of your mole carefully. Melanomas are characterized by a lack of symmetry. If you were to cut your mole in half down the center, the sides would probably not match up if it were a melanoma.

• 3

  Inspect the borders of your mole. Melanomas almost always have uneven borders, giving them a different appearance than a normal freckle or mole. Sometimes, a melanoma will have one large, uneven spot with other spots next to them. Borders are often blurry and imprecise.

• 4

  Look at the color of your mole carefully. Normal moles are usually a heterogeneous brown color, while melanomas may have several different colors. Melanomas can be white, red, brown, blue or tan, depending on their stage. The odd coloring of a mole is often the first sign of cancer.

• 5

  Check out the size of your mole. A common, non-cancerous mole is often smaller than a melanoma. Melanomas frequently grow to be bigger than the size of a pencil eraser. If you have a mole that looks to be six millimeters or larger, you should get it checked out by a doctor.

• 6

  Watch for change over time. A melanoma will go through many different stages of growth, unlike a normal mole which will generally remain the same. If your mole begins to bleed, itch, scab or tingle, you should visit a doctor and have your mole examined.

• 7

  Repeat this process once a month. Try to memorize your freckle patterns so you will be able to notice any unusual marks or blemishes.