In the US skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 20% of the Americans will develop the skin cancer at some point in their life, if the current situation continues.
Well, not all the skin cancers are dangerous, melanoma is the most dangerous and the third most common type, is too dangerous if not found in early stages. The American Cancer Society found that around 76,100 new cases of melanoma, registered in 2014, will be treated and about 9,710 people may die from the disease.
It is good to know that it is easy to treat melanoma if caught at the early stages. It appears as the telltale sign about that you should tell your doctor, a blemish, mole or a mark on your skin.
There is more easy way to evaluate these moles that you can remember with the help of acronym ABCDE. These are the guidelines from the clinical instructor of dermatology at Northwestern University.
Table of Contents
About ABCDEs
1. A Stands For The Asymmetry
If one-half of the mole looks different from the other half then that’s the sign that this mole may be cancerous.
2. B Stands For The Border Irregularity
Blurred, poorly defined or irregular borders are also a sign of melanoma.
3. C Stands For The Color
Multicolored and dark colored moles might be a sign of danger.
4. D Stands For The Diameter
The moles larger than the size of pencil erasers are the matter of concern. Although melanoma can be of small size also.
5. E Stands For The Change Or Evolution
A mole which is changing in shape, size, and color is the one which should be checked out by a doctor.
If you are not sure that whether your mole is dangerous or not then you should consult with the well-experienced dermatologist. It will be better to consult the doctor as he knows better what and where the problem than you, is. So his advice is a must. Also, don’t diagnose yourself on your own and assume that it’s all safe and clear.
But still, there are some actions that you can take by your own on itself. The American Academy of Dermatology says that you can self – examine the mole for a month. Take a note of mole on your body and also the new ones and examine them carefully.
This infographic from the American Academy of Dermatology shows that how to check one’s skin for the potential melanoma.
Spotting the skin cancer in the early stage is important because by this means we can remove cancer before it’s spreading. Most of the skin cancers are due to the exposure the UV light from the sun. Although anyone’s skin is damaged by the sunlight, but people with lighter skin are more susceptible to the various skin cancers.
The most common type of skin cancers squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma occurs due to the exposure to sunlight. It occurs on the parts of skin like hands, face, head, neck, legs and arms but they can develop anywhere.
As they don’t spread too quickly as the melanoma but still can spread to the other parts of your body. The basal cell carcinoma grows deep and wide that can be disfiguring if not removed at the early stages.
Most of all melanoma is more focused as it spreads too quickly. If the cancer is removed at an early stage then the cure rate is 100%. But cancer spreads to the nearby skin, internal nodes or lymph nodes, a five-year survival rate drops quickly.
Here, many of you might be wondering about the skin tags occurring on the skin. They are slightly different from the moles. There are home remedies to treat the skin tags and they should be taken care with.
If people are aware of the warning signs and examines their skin every day, and visits doctor for a proper checkup then the deaths due to melanoma may be much lower, says the American Academy of Dermatology.
Ayurveda also helps to take care of the skin and other skin problems. You can get a nourished skin following the ayurvedic methods.
Hope the above- mentioned information is useful for you.
