How to Identify Skin Cancer Moles with the ABCDE Method
Skin cancer is becoming more common by the day because people aren’t taking appropriate actions to protect their skin from the damaging effects of the sun. This can lead to a variety of different health problems, and even death.
If you want to identify skin cancer moles, using the ABCDE method is a great starting point. This can help you determine whether or not you have moles that you should worry about.
Everyone is different, so if you question a mole and its health, just go see your dermatologist to have it tested.
What is the ABCDE method?
A for asymmetry. Moles that are symmetrical are generally not going to carry cancer cells inside of them. When looking at a mole, imagine drawing a line in the middle of it. Would both sides be symmetrical? If not, go have this tested right away.
B for border. The border of the mole is something that is very important to pay attention to. If the border has a lot of jagged or curvy edges, it is at risk for being cancerous. If it’s just a round circle it is probably a benign mole that you don’t have to worry about.
C for color. Moles that have more than just one color need to be examined and tested by doctors. Normal spots can be there, but a change in colors can be a bad thing.
D for diameter. Moles on the skin that are larger than the size of a pencil eraser could end up being cancerous. Normal moles are small and round, not large with blurred edges.
E for elevation. Moles that are raised off of the surface of the skin are dangerous and need to be examined right away. Those that are healthy should be flat and not elevated in any way.
If you see one or more of these signs, go see your doctor right away. It doesn’t take long to have an examination and the testing is quick as well. Once they get back the results from the sample, they can determine what to do for the next step. If cancerous cells are there, the doctor is going to take a look at the rest of your moles to determine if these are normal or not.
At least once a year you should carefully inspect your entire body and evaluate any moles you find to see if they have any of the dangerous attributes listed above.
Just because a mole is not showing signs of being cancerous right now doesn’t mean it won’t in the future. Doing regular self-exams can mean possibly catching cancer early on and avoiding a lot of health problems. It doesn’t take long to examine yourself and it could possibly save your life.
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