The ABC’s of Moles and Preventative Skin Care

We continue to observe National Skin Cancer Awareness Month by focusing on one very important piece of the puzzle: moles.

One of the first things Green Dermatology & Cosmetic Center, a premier medical and cosmetic dermatology center near Boca, recommends when performing a self-exam for skin cancer is looking for moles, whether it’s a new mole or one that has grown or changed significantly in any way.

Self-exams should be done periodically throughout the year, even if you are vigilant about skin care and sunscreen use.

By examining your skin head-to-toe at least once a month and keeping an eye out for anything suspicious, you’ll be able to identify potential skin cancers early enough so that physicians are able to remove the cancerous lesion before it causes harm to the body. If you are unsure or wary about performing your own skin examination, the Prevent Cancer Foundation offers a helpful video on how to conduct a proper self-exam.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, invasive melanoma (MM) is currently the fifth most common cancer in males and seventh in females. There is a specific strategy developed by physicians to detect the disease early on, dubbed the ABCDEs of Melanoma. This acronym was introduced into the world of medical dermatology in 1985 at ABCD and expanded to ABCDE in 2004. Each letter represents a different sign or symptom to look for when self-examining your skin.
 

• A Does the mole or spot have an irregular shape or two parts that look completely different?

• B Is the border of the mole or spot irregular or has jagged edges?

• C What color is the mole? Is it uneven?

• D Is the mole or spot larger than 6mm, or the size of a pea?

• E Have you noticed any changes in the mole or spot?

While these guidelines are extremely helping in detecting melanoma, this is not the end-all-be-all. The Skin Cancer Foundation points out that relying solely on the ABCDEs could result in overlooking MMs that are smaller than 6mm in diameter or lack any of the criteria listed. You don’t want to risk missing the disease in other places simply because it did not adhere to one of the ABCDE signs.

In order to broaden the scope of detection, the Ugly Duckling Concept was introduced in 1998, encouraging the importance of paying attention not only to the evolution of the lesion in question but also at how it compares to surrounding lesions. For example, if a person has a group of moles in one area, is there one mole in particular that is a different shape and/or color than its surrounding lesions? In any case, any changing lesion should always be treated with suspicion. After all, better safe than sorry.

In the case of melanoma at Green Dermatology & Cosmetic Center, Dr. Green will perform a skin biopsy if it is suspected. In this procedure, a sample of skin is removed and sent to a dermatopathologist to be looked at further and determine whether it is melanoma. If it is, the thickness is measured to see how advanced it is.

Treatment for melanoma is dependent on the stage of cancer, and patient age, overall health, and personal preference. In the early stages, a patient may only need surgery to remove the melanoma and nothing further. But when it comes to late-stage, thick, invasive or aggressive cases, there is a bit more to it, with more medical professionals involved, including surgical oncologists and plastic surgeons, to increase the cure rate.

If you suspect melanoma on your skin, or simply would like to visit Dr. Green for a Skin Cancer Screening, give us a call at to book an appointment, or visit us online.

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