Melanoma is a type of skin cancer that can show up in many different ways on the skin. It can look like a:
• The mole continues to change
• A new spot that looks like a mole, freckle, or age spots, but it looks different from the others
• Spot that has more than one color, a jagged border, and is growing
• Dome-shaped growth that feels firm and may look like a sore, which may bleed
• Dark-brown or a black vertical line under a fingernail or toenail
• Band of darker skin around a fingernail or toenail
• A growing patch of thick skin that looks like a scar
Early melanoma is commonly mistaken for a mole, so it’s essential to look carefully at the spots on your skin.
Dermatologists created the ABCDEs of melanoma to help people find a possible melanoma on their skin. Here’s what it means.
A is for Asymmetry
One half of the spot is unlike the other half.
B is for Border
The spot has an irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined border.
C is for Color
The spot has varying colors from one area to the next, such as shades of tan, brown or black, or areas of white, red, or blue.
D is for Diameter
Melanomas are usually greater than 6 millimeters or about the size of a pencil eraser. They can be smaller when diagnosed.
E is for Evolving
It looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape, or color.
Melanoma doesn’t usually hurt. You can have it without feeling any pain or discomfort.
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