Enjoying Australia's sunny weather is something most people love to do. But if you spend too much time living al fresco, you will be putting your skin at risk of cancer. It is critical for every Australian to know how to perform a skin cancer check so that any red flags will have them rushing to their nearest medical professional. This article of uses on some of the signs of melanoma that you should be wary of so that you can decide if you need to visit your doctors immediately.
The ABCDE of checking for melanoma
When melanoma starts to develop, it typically manifests as a growth on your skin. The reason why melanoma often goes undiagnosed until it is at its last stages is that a lot of people tend to mistake the growth as moles. Therefore, it is essential to know how to differentiate between melanoma and a regular mole, which can quickly be done with the letters ABCDE!
- Asymmetry: A normal mole should have a symmetrical shape. Therefore, if you find the growth has an irregular shape, then it is likely to be melanoma.
- Borders: Once you have checked the symmetry of the growth, take note of its borders, too. Smooth edges are usually indicative of non-cancerous growths, while lesions caused by melanoma will have a jagged or indefinable border.
- Colouring: Harmless moles on your body will be skin coloured. And if they are darker than your skin tone, the entire growth will be of the same hue. Melanoma growths typically have multiple shades of colour present. In some cases, the mole may have the same colour, but the distribution will be uneven.
- Diameter: The size of growth should also alert you as to whether you need a professional skin cancer check. If the growth looks the same size as the eraser on pencils, it could be cause for concern.
- Evolution: Another critical factor to keep in mind when performing a skin cancer check is the evolution of your growths. If you find that the supposed mole is changing size and colour, you should have it investigated by a health care professional.
Additional symptoms to be wary of
One thing you should know about skin cancer is that one person's symptoms may be vastly different from another's. Hence, it is important to identify other signs accompanying the ABCDEs that should catch your attention. A few of the additional symptoms you should be worried about include:
- Bleeding
- Crustiness
- Itchiness
- Tenderness
- Swelling
