Watch Out For Spots!

Skin cancer is the most common cancer that affects people nationwide. One out of every five people will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Knowing every inch of your skin can help to detect skin cancer. Every mole, age spot or any strange bump that suddenly appears can trigger an alarm of skin cancer. Any change in your moles or spots is worth a trip to the dermatologist to get checked out. Melanoma is the most serious of skin cancer. Just because we are approaching spring, do not think you are off the hook because it may be overcast. On cloudy days, we tend to burn easier because the UV rays are not spread out like they would be a sunny day. Here are some warning signs to help you detect early signs of skin cancer:

Asymmetry

Moles do not appear to be symmetrical. If you draw a line across the mole, the two halves should not match

Border

One early sign of melanoma is that moles appear to have uneven borders. Some may look like they have notched or creased edges

Color

A mole that has different shades of color may be a sign of danger. Shades of brown, tan or black or other colors are commons colors that may appear

Diameter

Melanomas usually appear larger in diameter around 6mm in measurement. They sometimes appear smaller however, when detected early

Evolving

Any other changes to the skin such as color, size, texture and even bleeding could even be a sign of danger

Acting fast on the first instance is the best protection. See a dermatologist right away as soon as you notice something unusual on your skin in order to get the best treatment to prevent skin cancer. Be sure to protect your skin year around. Not only will you help to prevent against cancer, but you will help your skin from aging faster as well. No one wants saggy, wrinkled skin! One of my favorite sunscreens to use is IsClinical’s Treatment Sunscreen. This medical grade sunscreen can be found in different shades and even helps with fine lines!