We recommend doing regular skin checks at home to look for changes in your skin. The ABCDE’s rule is a handy guide to help identify potentially deadly skin cancer known as Melanoma. The ABCDE’s are:
A is for Asymmetry. Most melanomas are asymmetrical. If you draw a line through the middle of the lesion, the two halves don’t match, so it looks different from a round to oval and symmetrical common mole.
B is for Border. Melanoma borders tend to be uneven and may have scalloped or notched edges, while common moles tend to have smoother, more even borders.
C is for Color. Multiple colors are a warning sign. While benign moles are usually a single shade of brown, a melanoma may have different shades of brown, tan or black. As it grows, the colors red, white or blue may also appear.
D is for Diameter or Dark. While it’s ideal to detect a melanoma when it is small, it’s a warning sign if a lesion is the size of a pencil eraser (about 6 mm, or ¼ inch in diameter) or larger. Some experts say it is also important to look for any lesion, no matter what size, that is darker than others. Rare, amelanotic melanomas are colorless.
E is for Evolving. Any change in size, shape, color or elevation of a spot on your skin, or any new symptom in it, such as bleeding, itching or crusting, may be a warning sign of melanoma.
If you notice changes in your skin, schedule an office visit with your IMA Primary Care Provider.
About IMA
IMA Urgent Care and Primary Care has been caring for Monmouth County for over 25 years. IMA consists of two urgent care centers and eight primary care offices, pediatrics, endocrinology, and diagnostics. IMA is owned and operated by local physicians who live and practice in Monmouth County.