The Ugly Mole
Conveniently located to serve Western Canada.
Before & After images are available during consultation.
Question
I am back from my summer holidays and I had a great time. When I was on the beach, one of my friends noticed a “funny” mole on my back. I am worried. I had a few sunburns in my youth. Can this mole be dangerous?
Answer
Melanoma can kill you and yet it is one of the easiest cancers to detect and treat. This fact provides us with a lot of great news. Yes, melanoma can kill but when detected early, it can be treated with great success. It is a fact that the incidence of melanoma is rising and more younger people are affected than ever before. In general, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the world and melanoma is one of the most dangerous kinds of skin cancers that we are faced with. The other common skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. The latter cancers will be reviewed in the next few articles.
WHAT DOES MELANOMA LOOK LIKE?
Melanoma can either start as a new, brown or black spot on the skin or it can begin as a change in the shape or color of an already present mole or colored spot. Although most melanomas tend to be dark in color (browns, blacks and dark blues), some have a mixture of colors including brown, black, red, blue and white. These growths can change in size, shape and color. It is this change that is one of the strongest clues that the mole or spot needs to be examined.
WHAT CAUSES MELANOMA?
Although the full answer still has not been fully unraveled, we know that excessive sun exposure plays a leading role in the development of melanoma. In particular, blistering sunburns especially in childhood are thought to play an important role. Moreover, recent research shows that sunburns at any time during life can also increase the risk. It is these blistering sunburns that significantly increase the risk of the development of melanoma. People who had blistering sunburns in the past should be especially vigilant for any changing or newly developing moles or spots.
WHO IS AT RISK OF DEVELOPING MELANOMA?
Every person is at risk of developing melanoma but fair-skinned people who have sun-sensitive skin that burns rather than tans are more likely to get it especially those of us with freckles and red as well as blond hair and those with blue or green eyes. Patients with a close family history of melanoma and those with many moles (more than 50), or moles with an unusual color or shape, or with large moles, are also at an increased risk.
WHERE DOES IT OFTEN APPEAR?
It appears most commonly on the backs of men and the legs of women. However, it can appear anywhere on the skin surface. While less common in darker-skinned people, melanoma usually appears on the palms of hands, soles of feet, and nail beds in these people.
WHAT CAN I DO TO PREVENT MELANOMA?
Protect young children from excessive sun. Avoid the sun from 10 am to 4 pm and protect yourself if outside during these times by seeking shade, covering up with clothing, and wide-brimmed hats. Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 15. Apply before you leave the house and reapply regularly, especially during strenuous exercise. Sun is good for us but the excessive sun – particularly when it leads to sunburns is very dangerous.
WHAT DO I LOOK FOR WHEN I EXAMINE MY MOLES?
Self-examination of the entire body surface is very important. The moles that we have are ours and we need to know them. We also need to know if and when they change or a new mole develops. We should examine ourselves once a month and here are some of the factors that are important to assess when looking at moles:
A - ASYMMETRY
One half, unlike the other half. Look at the mole and see if it is symmetrical. It is important to notice a lack of symmetry as this can be an early sign of melanoma.
B - BORDER
Irregular, scalloped, or poorly circumscribed border. Although mother nature does not make perfect circles, we do not want to see very irregular mole edges either. When that happens, please see your doctor or, better yet, your dermatologist.
C - COLOR
Varied from one area to another; shades of tan and brown, black; sometimes white, red, or blue. Color variation and color changes can be an early clue that melanoma is developing.
D - DIAMETER
While melanomas are usually greater than 6mm in diameter (the size of a pencil eraser) when diagnosed, they can be smaller. If you notice a mole different from others, or the mole that changes, itches, or bleeds (even if it is small) you should see a dermatologist
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