Although most moles aren’t harmful, some can be cancerous. Learning about moles and other spots or marks on your skin can help you recognize the signs of skin cancers, including melanoma, says Mayo Clinic dermatologist Catherine Degesys, M.D.
“When it comes to pigmented lesions, we commonly tell people to remember A, B, C, D and E,” says Dr. Degesys.
- A is for asymmetry — Typical moles are round instead of oddly shaped. “If you put a mirror right in the middle of the mole, you should see an equal image on both sides,” Dr. Degesys says.
- B is for border — It should be easy to see where your mole starts and stops. You want your moles to have a crisp, clean border instead of a scalloped or ill-defined border.
- C is for color — A mole should be only one color. “You want moles to be uniform in color, not made up of multiple colors like blue, black, red and brown,” explains Dr. Degesys. “You also want your moles to look overall similar to each other. If you have a mole that’s a different color than the rest of your moles, that may indicate that it needs to be evaluated.
- D is for diameter — Keep an eye on large moles. Any mole larger than the size of a pencil eraser should be checked out.
- E is for evaluation — With moles, change is not a good thing. “Any mole that is increasing in size or evolving in any way, such as color, size or shape, or showing new symptoms should be examined,” says Dr. Degesys.
If you have a suspicious mole, see your primary care team or a dermatologist for evaluation.
From Mayo Health
Submitted by Nancy Rasmussen, Parish Nurse
