Skin exams are important to your health! Show your dermatologist any suspect mole or growth that is not behaving as you would expect. People know their bodies very well, and know when something looks different or is growing in an odd fashion.

Skin checks by evaluating your skin in the mirror should be performed several times a year to help pick up any atypical growths. Patients should visit their dermatologist annually after 30 years of age for a complete skin cancer evaluation.

The ABCD’s of melanoma an easy way to help remember the most common features of atypical moles and melanoma.

• Asymmetry: a lesion that is not consistent in size or shape throughout.
• Border irregularity: a lesion that is irregular in shape, and not perfectly round.
• Color: a lesion that presents with a mix of different colors and shades.
• Diameter: a lesion that is larger than the end of a pencil eraser.