Decode Dangerous Skin Spots with these Guidelines from Top Dermatologist

 

It isn’t easy to tell which marks on your skin are harmless, and which are suspicious. 
But don’t sit and wonder: Rates of melanoma have doubled over the past three decades, making it the most common type of skin cancer in the U.S, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
You may have heard of the “ABCDE” trick that
dermatology experts came up with to help you determine dangerous skin spots: Flag moles that are Asymmetrical, have irregular Borders, contain more than one Color, have a Diameter greater than the size of a pencil eraser, or Evolve and change over time. 
This is a good surveillance method, but it isn’t foolproof, says Clifford Perlis, M.D., a dermatologist at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia.
 “While many melanomas meet the ABCDE criteria, there are some that don’t,” he says. “And even within it, there are outliers. For instance, many cases of melanoma can be smaller than a pencil eraser.”

 (These eye-popping pictures show you exactly What Skin Cancer Looks Like.) 

Obviously you should see a dermatologist for an annual skin screening, but you also need to be vigilant on your own. Here’s how to watch out for your own skin.

It Could Be Melanoma If:
It’s new. “After your mid-30s, you shouldn’t be growing new moles,” Dr. Perlis says. See a fresh spot? Point it out to your doctor. Most melanomas arise from previously normal skin, while only 28 percent of cases develop from an existing mole, according to a new study from Harvard Medical School.


Best case: It’s just a sunspot or liver spot. These small, flat, light brown patches look like moles and tend to pop up on sun-exposed areas like your forearms and shoulders.
They aren’t cancerous, but it’s hard to tell the difference between a simple sunspot and something that might be serious. 

It itches, bleeds, or hurts. A normal, healthy mole won’t cause any pain or other symptoms, Dr. Perlis says. Get it checked, stat. It’s a surprising color. Most people expect melanomas to be brown, but some look pink and skin-colored, says Dr. Perlis. Reddish, translucent, pearly, and black spots could also be cancerous. 

It’s Probably Harmless If: 
It looks more like a wart. You may have seborrheic keratosis, a benign growth with a thick, wart-like, scaly, or waxy surface. These growths, which usually range from light tan to brown to black in color, tend to crop up on your face, chest, shoulders, or back.  


“They don’t itch or hurt, but they can peel off and grow back,” Dr. Perlis says. In some cases, they can mimic melanoma in appearance—especially to the average guy’s eyes. “It’s best to have an expert help you distinguish between the two.”