ABCDE'S OF MELANOMA

Malignant Melanoma

The ABCDE rule can help you remember what to look for when you're checking any moles on your skin:

A -- Asymmetry
 One half doesn't match the other half.

B -- Border
 The edges are ragged, blotched, or blurred.

C -- Color
 The pigmentation is not uniform. Shades of tan, brown, and black are present. Dashes of red, white, and blue add to the mottled appearance.

D -- Diameter
The width is greater than six millimeters (about the size of a pencil eraser). Any growth of a mole should be of concern.

E -- Elevation/Evolution
A mole that is of different elevations/contours or ANY mole that has changed (evolution) should be checked by a qualified dermatologist as soon as the change is detected.

Skin Phototypes I and II (red hair, blue eyed), blistering sunburns, a personal history of melanoma, and a family history of melanoma in first degree relatives are risk factors of melanoma.  Be sure to schedule a yearly skin check with your dermatologist.