Melanoma is common, and early diagnosis can help you get an effective treatment. You should find a family doctor who includes routine skin checks in your appointments, which could help you identify cancer in its early stage. Chevy Chase melanoma cancer experts will show you the steps to self-diagnose skin cancer. You could ask your partner to check the skin parts that are difficult to access and help them check their skin. When you see suspicious moles and patches, you should ask your dermatologist to conduct a cell biopsy, which helps diagnose and treat cancer.
Guides for Self-Diagnosis of Melanoma
Asymmetrical skin moles and changes in moles could be early signs of skin cancer; normal moles are symmetrical. You could draw a line on a mole to determine its symmetry; if both halves are not similar in shape and size, it might be a cancerous mole. Moreover, most cancerous moles have uneven borders and scalloped edges, unlike common moles, which have even borders.
Multiple coloring on the skin may be a warning sign which shows early melanoma. People usually have moles on their bodies with a single color shade, but the cancerous mole will have a different color shade from the normal moles. As cancerous moles grow, it may change color from white, red, or blue, and the changes should be an indication to see a dermatologist immediately.
The melanoma diameter could be growing as cancer progresses; a growing mole should encourage you to see a dermatologist. As the melanoma grows in diameter, it remains darker than normal moles. Unfortunately, some melanomas are colorless, and it isn’t easy to point out these melanomas. However, the colorless melanomas might be raised above the skin and could have different color speckles.
Dermatologist’s Diagnosis
When you visit your dermatologist’s office, you should give important information on the growth and progression of the suspicious mole. The dermatologist might remove a part of the mole for a skin biopsy. The doctor will assess cancer cells; if cancer cells are present, the dermatologist will treat cancer effectively. Early diagnosed melanomas are easy to treat, as the doctor can remove the cancerous moles and treat the cancer effectively.
What to Look For In Carcinoma Cells
The carcinoma cells might be flat, firm, pale, or yellow, which is similar to scars, and you should look for the raised reddish patches that might be itchy. Small and translucent shiny pearl-like bumps that have pink, blue, brown, and black colors might indicate skin cancer. Open sores with crusty areas that ooze and do not heal could be an indication of cancer.
The Bottom Line
The risk of melanoma increases when the cancer advances, and it is better to examine your skin from head to toe for potential skin cancers. You should note the lesions and their growth patterns since the melanoma moles will look different from the other body moles. Melanoma moles change in color and shape, have an uneven border, and could be asymmetrical. Your dermatologist should assess the melanoma for the cancer cells’ presence, which will help you get the appropriate treatment.
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