In light of Skin Cancer Awareness Month, I thought we'd cover the ABCs of melanoma detection. Wait, let me amend that: the ABCDEs of melanoma detection. It can often be difficult to determine if that spot on your arm is a mole or something more sinister. Hopefully this will help alleviate anxiety.
A is for Asymmetry: A non-cancerous mole will be symmetrical, or identical on both sides. A cancerous—or "malignant"—mole, on the other hand, will not.
B is for Border: The outline, or border, of a melanoma lesion will be rough in appearance.
C is for Color: A malignant lesion will be multicolored, whereas your beauty mark or mole will be a single, probably brown, color.
D is for Diameter: Melanomas, especially at later stages, are larger in size than benign marks.
E is for Evolving: An ordinary mole will stay the same over time; a melanoma will morph, growing larger or changing color, for instance.
Need a visual? This is a side-by-side comparison of a cancerous and non-cancerous skin mark.
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