Being careful and cautious with our skin is something that was ingrained in us from childhood. We’re constantly being warned about the dangers of the sun and how to protect it from sunburns, sun damage, or even aging. Bottom line: wearing sunscreen is important. The biggest reason is because it protects us from skin cancer. You might think skin cancer is the one cancer that is the easiest to spot because it can be seen from the outside of our body, but that’s not always the case! Thankfully we’re able to do routine checks on ourself which means we’ve got a better chance of catching it early. Experts recommend doing a thorough check every three months.
So what are we looking for when it comes to cancerous moles? Not sure? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here’s a detailed list of all the main signs to look for when it comes to spotting and detecting cancerous moles…
1. Asymmetry
The golden rule for checking cancerous moles is to follow the ‘ABCDE’ technique. The first letter stands for asymmetry. Healthy moles are usually symmetrical, which means they are equally sized (or both sides would match if folded in half). If you find a mole that’s uneven and one half of it doesn’t look like the other, than you may want to get it looked at.
Cosmopolitan recommends placing a mirror in the middle of the mole to see if both sides look the same. It’s important to note that all moles will be slightly irregular. None of them will be exactly perfect in shape. Use your best judgement. Keep checking it, and if it’s clearly asymmetrical, seek out an opinion from a skin cancer specialist.
