Throughout your lifetime, your skin can change. Even if you protect yourself from the sun and wear a daily SPF of 30 or greater, areas that are not even exposed to the sun may develop moles or changes in moles on the skin. You should periodically check your skin for any changes or abnormalities in your skin and report these at your next visit with your medical dermatologist.
Tips how how best to examine the moles on your skin
It may seem daunting to know what type of changes to look for on your skin, especially if you aren’t a medical professional. Rest assured, this self-examination is quite simple and easy to do. However, it requires patience and an eye for detail.
- Examine your skin closely and slowly, starting from your toes and working all the way up to your forehead.
- Use a mirror or magnifying glass if needed to look for any changes in your skin.
- Ask yourself if there are any new moles that weren’t there before.
- Look for changes in moles that have been there. If the border of the mole looks irregular where it was once round, or if it has changed in color, this may be a sign of skin cancer or another skin problem. You should point these out to your dermatologist at your next appointment.
It’s important to schedule an annual skin examination with your dermatologist. Although self-examination is important and helpful, your dermatologist is trained to see things that you may overlook. He can also use a special instrument to look at any mole up close and determine whether or not the mole may have any cancerous cells that require a biopsy. Scheduling this annual examination will help to protect you and also give you peace of mind. The sooner skin cancer is detected, the better. Early treatment is crucial. A simple skin check can mean a world of difference when it comes to treating skin cancer.