Self Examination for Skin Cancer

It is very easy to give yourself an examination for signs of skin cancer. Develop a routine to regularly inspect your body for skin growth changes. If any growth, mole, sore or skin discoloration begins to change or suddenly appears, see your dermatologist. Remember, each of the skin cancers are treatable with early detection.
To help you know waht to look for, there is an easy reminder of what to look for in the exam. It is the ABCD’s and recently added E. The letters stand for:

Asymmetry - when one half of the growth has a different shape than the other.

Border irregular - when the growth has uneven edges

Color varied – the growth has more than one color. Melanomas may be black, shades of brown and tan, and even have specks of red, white, blue or/and black.

Diameter - a size, bigger than the diameter of a pencil eraser.

Enlargement - recently doctors haves have recognized the importance of moles that grow larger in predicting high-risk lesions. Thus they have now added E to the criteria.

Remember, with early detection, skin cancer is not only treatable, but also curable. I recently read an excellent ebook. "How I Survived Melanoma Skin Cancer - seven survivors tell their stories" It is written from the vantage point of 7 people diagnosed with Skin Cancer. I was impressed most not with the clinical information that you find on most websites, but with the emotional and mental attitude of these survivors. They share their stories on how they keep positive even at the lowest moments. It really is a good read. I read things that I hadn’t found anywhere else. A recommended read for dark nights.