May is skin cancer awareness month. But springtime comes a lot earlier here in California. Blossoms appear, and the weather gets a little gentler. And for most of us, it’s time to try on our bathing suit after all the holidays. First of all, hopefully, it fits.
But more importantly, that’s when we may notice a new mole on our skin. It’s important to get that checked at any age. It’s a simple procedure. You make an appointment, and we will examine the mole.
First, we use a very bright light and our trained eyes. Then we have a dermatoscope. The dermatoscope is an instrument that helps us see patterns and organization of the melanocytes under the skin. This procedure doesn’t hurt and usually can be done very quickly.
Sometimes, we need to biopsy. This is less common. Most moles that we see are benign. But occasionally, if the patterns with the dermatoscope appear abnormal it should be checked. The gold standard for determining if a mole is safe is a biopsy. Don’t worry. I would estimate that more than nine out of 10 moles that patients come in to show us do not need a biopsy. But it still is an important step in your healthcare journey. We always try and educate you on what to look for in a mole. And what we are seeing in your particular mole. That way you can share it with your family and your partner.
The American Cancer Society recommends monthly self skin exams for everyone in our family. Yes, that means grandparents, mom and dad, teenagers and kids. A skin exam can be done by yourself or with another person. The more you do it the easier it gets. And if you have kids, let them see you doing your skin exams and make it fun.
It is a good time to remind the kids what you’re looking for. That is changes in shape, size or color. Some dermatologist talk about the ABCDs. The a stands for asymmetry. That means if a mole is in perfectly round or oval. The B stands for border. A crisp smooth border that hasn’t changed is the best. C stands for color. Pigmented moles can be many different colors. But they shouldn’t change. moles can be brown, black, red or blue. D is for diameter. That’s usually the height and width of lesion. It is easiest to do measurements on the widest part of a mole. And the perpendicular to that measurement would be the height.
Skin cancer is more common as we get older. But sunscreen and sun, safety, and learning how to do body exams at home, are more important the younger you are.
Skin cancer rates are going out for our younger generations. The sun is getting stronger. And the ozone layer is getting thinner. So we want to equip our children and younger generations on how to detect abnormal moles quickly. Catching a mole before it has changed is our ultimate goal. But catching a skin cancer early means the treatment is much more effective and a lot easier.
Let’s all go out and enjoy the beautiful place that we call home. There is so much to do here. Enjoying the outdoors also helps our minds and our hearts. But let’s do so safely. Use sunscreen and stand in the shade when you can. Let’s all live long, healthy lives.
