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Home > Prevention and Early Detection of Melanoma

Prevention and Early Detection of Melanoma

Here’s what you need to know

The primary risk factor for skin cancer (and its most serious form, melanoma) is exposure to the sun -- not just sunburn, but all sun exposure, even when you wear a sunscreen. There is no such thing as a healthy tan.

To reduce your risk of melanoma:

Avoid sun exposure between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Wear a sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15 the rest of the time, and reapply it often
If you must be out in bright sun (for example, work) keep exposed areas of your body covered. Wear long sleeves and a visor or a hat with a brim. Don’t forget to protect the back of your neck. The places that melanoma is most likely to occur are:

Head and neck (men and women)
Trunk of the body (men)
Legs (women)

Early Detection: Skin Self-Exams

Malignant melanoma usually begins as an area of skin that looks like a suspicious mole. Many people have freckles, birthmarks or moles on their skin. Most of these are normal, not cancer. But it’s important to watch for new or changing moles.

Doctors use the ABCD method to tell a dangerous mole from a normal one. Of course, if you have any questions about a mole, always ask your family doctor or a dermatologist to look at it.

A = asymmetry. Most skin cancers are not round. The suspicious mole has an uneven or irregular shape.
B = border. Most skin cancers don’t have smooth borders. The borders look jagged or notched.
C = color. Most moles are one shade, usually brown. If your mole consists of various colors or shades of brown, black or other colors, it might be skin cancer.
D = diameter. Melanoma usually grows bigger than regular moles. Watch for any moles that are too big to be covered by the eraser end of a pencil.

Although skin cancer is usually dark brown or black, irregular and raised and/or large, it can also have a completely different appearance. It can be a skin-colored bump. It can be a change in a mole you’ve had since childhood. Skin cancer can appear in unexpected places -- under your fingernails, on your scalp and even in areas that aren’t exposed to sunlight.

Look for any type of abnormal area of the skin with a persistent, progressive growth or a change that concerns you (for example, bleeding or itching).

Monitor your skin carefully. If you see any changes that last for several weeks, see your family doctor or a dermatologist. Don’t wait. Catching and treating melanomas early can save lives.

This page last updated 2/12/08 04:08 PM

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