HOW TO DETECT A BAD MOLE
The ABCD’s of Detecting a Bad Mole
 | | You are responsible for your health, not your parents, your friends or even your doctor. It is your body, you only get one, and it is essential that you learn not only how to take care of it, but also what constitutes “normal” and “weird” for you. | |
This is very important when it comes to checking your moles. Only you can know whether a mole has been the same your whole life or has suddenly started to change, which can indicate melanoma. Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer and kills almost 8,000 people every year. It does not discriminate between young and old, poor and rich, male and female.
Over one million Americans develop skin cancer every year, and if you have mole, fair skin, live in a sunny climate or frequent tanning booths (a very very bad idea), then you are at high risk for developing this disease. If the threat of a fatal disease doesn’t make you stop tanning, how about the fact that tanning gives you thick, wrinkled, ugly, leathery skin? Do you really want to look like an old leather saddle when you are older, just so you can be golden for a week? It is not worth it.
When you go in for your annual “Well Woman” exam for a Pap smear or birth control prescription, always ask your OB/GYN to have a look at your moles. However this does not take the place of self-evaluation, because no doctor will know your body better than you.
ABCD OF DETECTING A BAD MOLE
If you have moles, you must become familiar with how they look normally, and also you must know these four very important warning signs that something is wrong. It is as easy as A-B-C-D.
IF ANY OF YOUR MOLES HAVE THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS, PLEASE CONSULT A DERMATOLOGIST IMMEDIATELY.
| A- ASYMMETRY: Healthy moles are usually round. If one half does not match the other half in color, thickness or size, this is a problem. |  |
| B- BORDER IRREGULARITY: The mole’s border should be smooth, not rough, ragged, scalloped or otherwise poorly defined. |  |
| C- COLOR: Moles come in many colors, but should have uniform pigmentation throughout. If you see various shade of tan, brown and black or especially if you see red, white or blue, please consult a physician. |  |
| D- DIAMETER: Melanomas are usually bigger than 6 millimeters in diameter, about the size of a pencil eraser. However they can be caught at earlier (and smaller) sizes, so pay attention. If you catch them small, your chances of surviving increase. |  |
Also, if you notice a mole changing, looking very different from your other moles, itching, bleeding, or you just have an uneasy feeling about it, please see your doctor.
Doctor visits are expensive and time-consuming, but far less so than skin cancer. Please take care of your body and take responsibility for your own health. Check your moles today.
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Shilo Urban is a freelance writer who has just relocated to Los Angeles after her previous homes of Seattle, New Zealand, Paris, Maine, and Austin. She is an active member of the West Coast electronic music community and lives to promote the art that she loves and the people who create it.
