I wanted to post some of the warning signs for melanoma. I was going to paraphrase the descriptions, but I would rather not lose anything in translation. The information below is the Melanoma Warning Sings found on Skin Cancer Net http://www.skincarephysicians.com/skincancernet/melanoma.html.
"1. Asymmetry. If you could fold the lesion in two, the two halves would not match.
2. Border. Melanomas often have uneven or blurred borders.
3. Color. Melanoma typically is not one solid color; rather it contains mixed shades of tan, brown, and black. It can also show traces of red, blue or white.
4. Diameter. While melanomas are usually greater than 6 millimeters (about the size of a pencil eraser) when diagnosed, they can be smaller. If you notice a mole different from others, or which changes, itches, or bleeds even if it is smaller than 6 millimeters, you should see a dermatologist.
5. Evolving. A mole or skin lesion that looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape or color.
Other warning signs of melanoma include:
- Change in the appearance of a mole, such as the spreading of the pigment from the border of the mole into the surrounding skin
- A mole that looks scaly, oozes, or bleeds
- Itching, tenderness, or pain in a mole or lesion
- Brown or black streak that appears underneath a nail or around the nail
- Bruise on the foot that does not heal"
Pictures of the four types of Melanoma can be found here: http://www.skincarephysicians.com/skincancernet/four_types.html
If you have any of these signs, please play it safe and go to a dermatologist. It is always better to be safe than sorry. I also want to stress the importance of listening to your gut. If you have mole, and you just have the feeling that something isn't right, go with your gut. Go to the doctor and get it looked at. My mole, didn't look like ANY of the pictures on the net and didn't really fit into any of the warning signs. If it didn't start bleeding, I would have just let it go. And now where would I be?
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