Sometimes, moles are more than just moles

Do you have an odd mole or freckle on your body that you are a bit concerned about? If so, you definitely will want to know the checklist that is used to screen for melanoma. Dermatologists use the ABCDE method for patients to do their own home screening, which can help bring up the need to go to an actual dermatologist for further investigation. Here is what you should be looking out for at home. 

A - Asymmetry

When doing any comparison to other moles on your body, it's important to look at how they all compare to each other. The typical mole is going to have a shape that is fairly symmetrical, even if it is not a perfect circle. Pay attention to any mole that is asymmetrical, meaning that you cannot draw a line through the middle of it and have it be identical on the left and right sides. 

B - Borders

The borders of melanoma are also going to look different from other moles on your body. What you are looking for are borders that have outer edges that are not even. They may look a little bit wavy or jagged, rather than smooth around the entire mole. This also plays into the asymmetry of a mole as well, since you may only have odd borders around part of the mole rather than the entire mole.

C - Color

The color of a mole is best judged by looking at the color of other moles on your body. A mole that is benign is going to be a similar color to other moles on your body. You are looking for moles that are an odd color or darker color overall. This can indicate that it is not actually a mole, but melanoma that needs to be removed. In addition, moles that have multiple colors within them should also be a concern.

D - Diameter

The size of the mole can also make a big difference when determining if it is dangerous or not. Much like the color, look for moles that are bigger than the typical mole on your body. Your benign moles will all roughly stay the same size throughout your lifetime.

E - Evolving

When it comes to any of the previous criteria, keep an eye on them to see if they are evolving in any way. This means that you have a mole that's getting bigger, changing in color, or developing irregular borders. It can help to snap a picture of anything that looks suspicious and check on it later. 

Reach out to a clinic like Hamzavi Dermatology to learn more.