RISKY SPOTS

Your plan to check your skin should include self-checks that you can perform at home as well as regular screenings by a qualified health care professional. Self-checks involve being familiar with your skin and monitoring suspicious spots. Some of the hallmark features to look for include the ABCDEs of melanoma.

While the ABCDEs are helpful when evaluating a spot, it’s also important to trust your judgment for any spot that is concerning. Your spot does not need to have all five of the ABCDE features to be suspicious. A spot with just one of these features might warrant an appointment with your health care provider. Additionally, you should be on the lookout for any new or changing spots that don’t look like your other moles. If you find such a spot, schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider who has experience with melanoma.

Are there specific circumstances in which your concern for spots should be heightened? Yes. Your personal history matters. For example, a new spot that appears on your skin is more concerning as you get older or if you have a history of skin cancer. If you have had an organ transplant or are taking immunosuppressive drugs, you should also be on the lookout for new spots on your skin. Immunosuppressive drugs make it easier for cancer to evade the immune system, increasing the risk for skin cancer. It’s important to have a conversation with your health care provider about the recommended strategy for monitoring your skin based on your risk profile.

Melanomas are frequently asymmetrical: the shape of one half does not match the other.

Melanomas frequently have uneven or irregular borders (ragged or notched edges).

Melanomas often contain multiple shades of brown or black but can sometimes be mixed with white, gray, blue, or red. Some melanomas will show a loss of color in a preexisting mole or in the area surrounding the mole.

B C D

Melanomas are often larger than 6 mm (1/4 inch) in diameter. However, with increased awareness about early detection, about 30% of melanomas are found when they are less than 6 mm in diameter

Melanomas typically have shown some evidence of change in the months prior to diagnosis. Look for any change.

While the ABCDEs are helpful when evaluating a spot, it’s also important to trust your judgment for any spot that is concerning. Your spot does not need to have all five of the ABCDE features to be suspicious. A spot with just one of these features might warrant an appointment with your health care provider. Additionally, you should be on the lookout for any new or changing spots that don’t look like your other moles. If you find such a spot, schedule an appointment with a healthcare provider who has experience with melanoma.

Are there specific circumstances in which your concern for spots should be heightened? Yes. Your personal history matters. For example, a new spot that appears on your skin is more concerning as you get older or if you have a history of skin cancer. If you have had an organ transplant or are taking immunosuppressive drugs, you should also be on the lookout for new spots on your skin. Immunosuppressive drugs make it easier for cancer to evade the immune system, increasing the risk for skin cancer. It’s important to have a conversation with your health care provider about the recommended strategy for monitoring your skin based on your risk profile.