How to Tell If Your Suspicious Mole Might Be Skin Cancer – Noticing a mysterious spot on your skin can trigger an anxiety-inducing mental debate: Is it just a harmless growth or something more sinister? Detecting a potentially cancerous mole can be difficult for untrained eyes (read: if you’re not a dermatologist), but the fact that you’re even on the case bodes well for your health.
A little self-observation is crucial when it comes to skin cancer (which affects people of all skin tones, by the way). That’s how you catch it as soon as possible—ideally before it grows deeper or spreads to other areas of the body. “Skin cancer is highly treatable when detected early,” Jennifer Sopkovich, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, says.
It’s important to monitor your moles in particular, adds Michael C. Cameron, MD, president of Cameron Dermatology and assistant clinical professor at the Mount Sinai Department of Dermatology in New York City. “The most deadly form of skin cancer—melanoma—originally arises from the types of cells that make moles,” which are called melanocytes, Dr. Cameron says.
In fact, when discussing suspicious moles, melanoma is always the biggest concern. “There aren’t other types of cancerous moles,” Dr. Sopkovich says. “There are other types of skin cancers—the two most common being basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.” While both of those conditions also manifest as growths, they look more like sores or pimples that don’t heal rather than pigmented moles.
So what sorts of red flags should you look out for when giving yourself a skin check? Here, experts explain the most common signs of a potentially cancerous mole—plus other skin cancer symptoms to be aware of, as well as a few tips for effectively examining your skin in the first place.
What are the possible signs of a cancerous mole?
There are a handful of characteristics that can signal melanoma, and the widely used acronym known as the ABCDEs of skin cancer can help you remember them. Here’s how the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) breaks down the signs of a suspicious mole:
- Asymmetry: If you mentally draw a line down the middle, both halves don’t match.
- Border: The mole’s border is irregular, scalloped, or poorly defined.
- Color: You notice variations—like shades of tan, brown, or black, or areas of white, red, or blue—instead of one consistent color throughout.
- Diameter: Melanomas are usually larger than 6 millimeters (about the size of a pencil eraser), though they can be smaller.
- Evolving: The spot looks different from others on your body, or you’ve noticed changes in its size, shape, or color.
That last one, evolving, is pretty critical. Melanomas tend to change in appearance over the course of a few months, David Polsky, MD, PhD, a dermatological oncologist at NYU Perlmutter Cancer Center, tells SELF. “By contrast, [noncancerous] moles tend to be very stable,” he says. “They can change, but it’s typically over the course of many months or years.”
Aside from differences in color, size, or shape, moles can also become raised or start to bleed, Adam Berger, MD, chief of melanoma and soft tissue surgical oncology at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, tells SELF. Those changes can also signal cancer, so you’ll want a dermatologist or primary care provider to take a look as soon as possible. The AAD also has a handy tool that lets you search for free skin-cancer screenings in your area and sign up to get alerts when new ones are available.
Are there other symptoms of skin cancer to be aware of?
Again, skin cancer also includes squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas, which are different from melanomas. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), these conditions form in the outer layer of your skin, called the epidermis, and are typically slower growing and less likely to spread to other organs.
Still, you’ll want to catch either early if you can help it, before it grows deeper and requires more invasive removal and treatment. In addition to checking for new or changing moles, the AAD recommends also being on alert for these signs:
- A dome-shaped skin growth
- A scaly patch of skin that persists for a few weeks
- A sore that never seems to heal, or one that heals and comes back
- A brown or black streak underneath a nail
- A spot that itches or bleeds, especially if it bleeds spontaneously (as in, not because you scratched it)
“Basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas are generally not pigmented but can follow some of the ABCDEs,” Dr. Berger adds.
When and how to do a skin check on yourself
The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends getting a professional full-body skin exam once a year. And while there are no official guidelines on how often to do self-checks, the ACS notes that many doctors suggest scanning yourself once a month—especially if you have a personal or family history of skin cancer.
It’s a good idea to be strategic about this, too, so you cover all areas: The ACS recommends checking your skin in a well-lit room in front of a full-length mirror and using a handheld mirror (or the help of a loved one) to see hidden spots like the backs of your thighs, your back, and your scalp.
Here’s how to do a skin check thoroughly and efficiently, per the ACS:
- After a bath or shower, look in the mirror and inspect your face, ears, neck, chest, and stomach. If you have breasts, lift them up and take a peek at the skin underneath.
- Check your armpits, arms, the tops and palms of your hands, in between your fingers, and under your fingernails.
- Sit down and look over the front of your thighs, shins, tops of your feet, in between your toes, and under your toenails.
- Grab your hand mirror (or loved one) and look at the bottoms of your feet, your calves, and the backs of your thighs. Check your back, butt, genital area, and the back of your neck and ears, using both your wall and hand mirror if you need to get a better angle.
- Use a comb or hair dryer to part your hair so you can check your scalp.
When should you see a doctor about a suspicious mole?
If you ever notice a new or iffy-looking spot on your skin, call your dermatologist or a primary care provider (who can refer you to a derm) and let them know. (Or, again, you can search for a free dermatology screening near you.) Chances are, it’s totally fine, but it’s best to have a doctor check it out, just in case.
“Dermatologists are trained to look for specific features to determine if these are skin cancers or not,” Ife J. Rodney, MD, founding director of Eternal Dermatology Aesthetics and professor of dermatology at Howard University and George Washington University, tells SELF. “I strongly urge you not to make those decisions on your own.”
A doctor will be able to take a closer look at a concerning spot and determine if it is in fact suspicious and warrants a biopsy, a simple procedure that involves removing a sample of the skin in question—either all of it or just a small portion—and sending it to a lab for testing.
If it turns out to be cancerous, you and your doctor will be able to come up with a plan of attack right away. And if it was just a false alarm? You’ll get to enjoy some sweet, sweet peace of mind. Just don’t take that as permission to start slacking—keep up with those regular at-home skin checks and slather on that sunscreen, please!
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