Full Body Skin Screening

While UV exposure is greatest in the summer months, UV rays reach the earth every single day.  Fresh snow can reflect 90% of the sun’s rays.  One can burn even on a cloudy day.  It has been estimated that up to 80% of the sun’s UV rays can penetrate mist, fog, and light clouds.  The message:  One should use sun protection (SPF 15) daily. 

Besides regular protection, a yearly scheduled full-body skin screening examination by your health care professional, is the key to early detection and prevention of more serious forms of skin cancer such as Melanoma.  This is because Melanoma can occur on areas of one’s body that are not exposed to the sun.  Monthly self examinations are an important component of skin wellness.  Ideally after a shower or bath, one should stand in front of a full-length mirror and use a hand held more for more difficult to see body surface areas such as the buttocks and genitalia.  If you notice any odd-looking mole or marking or non-healing sore, contact your doctor immediately.  Remember, Melanoma is highly curable when detected in its earliest stages.  The national incidence of melanoma continues to rise at a rate of approximately 3% each year since 1980

Melanoma: What to Look For:

Melanoma can appear suddenly as a new mole, or it can develop slowly in or near an existing mole. In men, melanomas are often found on the trunk (between the shoulders and hips). In women, melanomas often develop on the lower legs. Use the following ABCDE approach to identify moles that you should show your doctor. 10,11,14
 

• A  Asymmetry Melanoma (cancerous and malignant) lesions are typically irregular in shape (asymmetrical); benign (noncancerous and nonmalignant) moles are typically round (symmetrical).

• B Border Melanoma lesions often have uneven borders (ragged or notched edges); benign moles have smooth, even borders.

• C Color Melanoma lesions often contain many shades of brown or black; benign moles are usually a single shade of brown.

• D Diameter Melanoma lesions are often more than 5 millimeters in diameter
  (a little smaller than the size of a pencil eraser); benign moles are usually less than 5 millimeters in

 

• E  Evolution:  a change in an existing mole’s size or shape may be a sign of melanoma