"It's a great idea to check your skin once a month."
Michigan gets plenty of sun over the summer months, so fall is an excellent time to self-check for signs of skin cancer.
Spending time in the sun exposes everyone — and their skin — to a potentially harmful amount of ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Most people do not adequately use sun protection, including sunscreen, so there is a good chance that skin damage can occur.
As we move deeper into the fall season, take inventory of the features on your skin.
"It's a great idea to check your skin once a month. I recommend choosing the first or last day of the month, which will make it easier to remember," suggested Steven Daveluy, M.D., FAAD, dermatologist and member of the Melanoma Multidisciplinary Team at Karmanos Cancer Institute. "You can do a skin check in the bathroom before or after bathing since you'll already be nude. You can use a mirror or two to see everywhere on your body. If you have a partner who can help, that's even better."
Self-exams
Knowing the signs and symptoms of skin cancer is critical to catching the disease early and receiving treatment while it is in its earliest stage.
When performing a self-exam, here are the signs to look out for:
- Unusual moles, sores, lumps, blemishes, markings, or changes in how an area of the skin looks or feels.
- Rough or scaly red patches, which might crust or bleed.
- Raised growths or lumps, sometimes with a lower area in the center.
- Open sores (which may have oozing or crusted areas) that do not heal or that heal and then come back.
- Wart-like growths.
- Dark or pigmented skin lesions with irregular edges or color change.
"The 'ugly duckling' sign can be helpful to identify skin spots that need attention," added Dr. Daveluy. "If you have many spots on your skin that look similar but one spot that looks different from the rest, talk to your doctor about that spot and get it checked out."
The Skin Cancer Foundation provides some additional signs to look out for that may indicate melanoma.
Melanoma
Melanoma is a less common skin cancer that is more likely to spread to lymph nodes and other organs.
Be aware of the ABCDEs of melanoma:
A – Asymmetry
One-half of a mole or spot does not match the other half.
B – Border
The outside edge is irregular, ragged or scalloped and not smooth.
C – Color
The color of the mole is not the same all over. There can be shades of black, brown, white, blue or red.
D – Diameter or Dark
The area is larger than an eraser on the end of a pencil (6mm) or the site is getting larger. Also, if the lesion is darker than others, this may be a sign of skin damage or cancer.
E – Evolving
Any changes or any new symptoms can be a warning sign.
"A skin spot that changes could be a sign of skin cancer. That's why it's important to look at your skin regularly, so you can notice if a spot is changing since the last time you looked at it," Dr. Daveluy said.
View photos of different types of skin cancer from the American Cancer Society here.
If you have concerns about an area on your skin, call 1-800-KARMANOS or click here to make an appointment.
For more information and tips on avoiding skin cancer, click here.