For Your Patient: Is What You Are Harmless Or Is It Melanoma?

Melanoma can be hidden by multiple types of benign skin lesions, growth, and scars, hiding in clear vision. By recognizing and separating the “noise” of the skin landscape, you can notice truly suspicious lesions such as melanoma.

The first line of defense against melanoma is a regular skin self-examination, which can be done at home without the need for special equipment or assistance.

Basic skin test

The American Cancer Society Monthly skin tests are recommended, especially for people at high risk of developing skin cancer. A self-examination of the skin can be done at any time at your convenience, but obviously the time is before and after a shower or bath. When you first inspect your skin, take a little more time to learn the patterns of moles, freckles, and other traces on your skin so that subsequent self-examinations will make the changes more noticeable.

The recommended procedure is as follows:

• Look in the mirror in a bright room and look at your face, ears, neck, chest and abdomen. The woman needs to raise her breasts and check under her.Inspect armpits, back and palm, between fingers, and under fingernails

• While sitting, look under your thighs, shins, insteps, toes, and under your toes. Use a handheld mirror to look at the soles of your feet, your calves, and the back of your thighs, one foot at a time.

• Use a hand mirror to check the buttocks, crotch, and genitals.Inspect the top and bottom of your back and the back of your neck and ears using a hand mirror or wall mirror.

• Separate your hair and carefully check your scalp

Typical and less typical skin findings

Regular skin tests can help with training to distinguish normal lesions and growth from suspicious ones. Ask your healthcare provider whenever you are in doubt.

General mole

many mole The appearance is uniform, brown, round, flat, or slightly raised, with no monthly changes in appearance. Usually they are not bigger than a pencil eraser and may be smaller.

Mole most often appears above the waist in sun-exposed skin areas. In rare cases, common moles can develop into melanoma. People with many moles (50 and above) are at increased risk of developing melanoma.

Atypical mole

The growth of these skins, also known as dysplastic nevus (nevus, solitary), differs from common moles in one or more ways. Large size, different colors, irregular shapes and textures.

The majority of atypical moles are stable over time and have a low risk of developing melanoma. People with five or more atypical moles have a slightly higher risk of developing melanoma.

Congenital mole

Some people are born with one or more moles known as congenital moles. They vary in size from small to very large and have a range of possible colors. Congenital moles increase the likelihood of melanoma, especially for people with multiple congenital moles.

Lesions can appear anywhere on the body, but are most common on the trunk and limbs.

Actinic keratosis

Actinic keratosis (AK) Precancerous condition It occurs in areas of the skin most exposed to sunlight, such as the face, ears, bald head of the scalp, hands, neck, and lips. AK usually occurs after the age of 40 and often has a subtle appearance, with small pink areas of the skin becoming rough or scaly and painful when rubbed or scratched.

Due to the high risk of developing skin cancer, AK should be evaluated immediately by a dermatologist.

melanoma

Melanoma may have the appearance of benign skin lesions, especially those that overlap with moles. However, unlike moles, the appearance of melanoma can change from skin examination to skin examination. Most melanomas are dark brown or black, but can be in various shades of pink, tan, or blue, or even transparent. Irregular shapes or borders, uneven colors, and non-matching sides are other common characteristics. Melanoma can crack, bleed, or ooze.

If you have skin growth that exhibits any of these characteristics, have a skin specialist evaluate it.

Common sense approach

Regular skin self-examinations can help identify early stages of development, even if melanoma and other skin cancers are still highly cured. Many doctors include a skin test as part of their annual health checkup.

If you have any doubts about suspicious skin lesions, consult a medical professional.

Read Part 1 of this series. For Your Patient: What is Melanoma?

“Medical Journeys” is a set of clinical resources reviewed by doctors for doctors, other medical professionals, and the patients they serve. Each episode of this 12-part journey through the medical condition includes both a doctor’s guide and downloadable / printable patient resources. “Medical Journeys” illustrates each step of the path for doctors and patients, providing ongoing resources and support as caregiver teams navigate the course of their illness.