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Book AppointmentSkin cancer is one of the most common and most preventable cancers. Catching it early makes an enormous difference in outcomes. Because sun exposure adds up over a lifetime, even people who rarely think about their skin are at risk. Learning to recognize a handful of warning signs, and building a simple monthly self-check into your routine, is the most effective thing you can do to protect yourself.
5 Key Symptoms to Watch For
- New growths or moles that appear suddenly or grow quickly
- Moles that change in size, shape, or color over time
- Non-healing sores, cuts or spots that don’t resolve after a few weeks
- Persistent itching, pain, or bleeding in a mole or lesion
- Scaly, pale, or discolored patches that weren’t there before
Any one of these on its own isn’t necessarily cause for alarm, but persistence or change is the key signal that something should be looked at.
The ABCDE Rule for Melanoma
Dermatologists use the ABCDE method to flag moles that need a closer look:
- A – Asymmetry: one half doesn’t match the other
- B – Border: edges are ragged, notched, or blurred
- C – Color: multiple shades (brown, black, red, white, or blue) in one mole
- D – Diameter: larger than about 6mm, roughly the size of a pencil eraser
- E – Evolving: any change in size, shape, color, or texture
According to the American Academy of Dermatology, melanoma accounts for a small share of skin cancer cases overall but is responsible for the majority of skin cancer deaths. This is exactly why early detection matters so much.
How to Perform a Monthly Self-Exam
- Use a full-length mirror in good lighting, plus a handheld mirror for hard-to-see spots.
- Check your entire body, including your scalp, underarms, between fingers and toes, soles of your feet, and under your nails.
- Photograph any moles you’re tracking so you can compare month to month.
- Run through the ABCDE checklist on anything that looks new or different.
Doing this once a month is enough to catch most changes early without becoming a source of anxiety. For a more detailed walkthrough, the American Academy of Dermatology’s step-by-step self-exam guide covers body positioning and technique in more depth at https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/skin-cancer/find/check-skin.
When to See a Dermatologist
Make an appointment if you notice:
- A new or changing mole
- A sore that hasn’t healed in a few weeks
- Itching, bleeding, or pain in a spot or mole
- Any mole showing ABCDE characteristics
It’s worth noting that skin cancer can look different depending on skin tone. In darker skin, melanoma is more likely to show up as a new dark spot or area of discoloration rather than a classic changing mole, and it’s often diagnosed later as a result. That makes routine self-checks just as important regardless of skin tone.
A professional skin cancer screening adds a level of detail a self-exam can’t. Full-body evaluation with magnification and imaging to track anything borderline over time. https://www.dermatologist-nyc.com/skin-cancer-screening/
FAQs
How often should I check my own skin?
Once a month is recommended, with a yearly professional screening, more often if you’re higher risk.
What’s the very first thing to look for?
A mole or spot that’s new, or one that’s changed.
Can people with darker skin tones get skin cancer?
Yes. It’s less common but tends to be caught later, which is part of why monthly self-checks matter for everyone.
Where can I learn more?
The Skin Cancer Foundation maintains detailed, regularly updated patient resources on detection and risk factors, at https://www.skincancer.org/ alongside the AAD’s self-exam guide linked above.
