Learn your ABC's

If one good thing can come out of all this its that my diagnosis has made those around me more aware of the dangers of skin cancer and how to spot anything suspicious early. A friend whom I lost touch with messaged me this week to tell me that before reading the blog she didn't appreciate how serious skin cancer could be and after reading, both her and her husband were going to get two moles looked at. Another close friend has just booked herself in for a mole mapping session, whilst others are lathering up with SPF 50 when previous summers only SPF 20 was on the skincare menu. Like myself, most of my friends and family knew about the so-called 'dangers of the sun,' but also like myself few knew how serious skin cancer can be. So, I apologise in advance if this post reads like a public service announcement, but it's dedicated to giving everyone reading it some easy to digest information on detecting skin cancers early (although I have my fingers and toes crossed that no one reading this ever finds them self in my shoes) Firstly, all skin cancers are not created equal. They are divided into two groups: melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. Non-melanoma skin cancers are the 'less scary' type that can be removed and the location monitored. These are basal and squamous cell cancers. Melanomas are the 'bad news bears' of skin cancers- the type that spreads beyond the skin into the body. Okay, now how do you spot suspect skin cancer, more specifically, melanoma ? First and foremost, the first signs of skin cancer do not always appear where you have been exposed to the sun, in fact, a common spot for it to appear is the soles of your feet. Second, always be vigilant about changes to your skin, such as the appearance of new marks or moles or changes to existing ones. There's is a simple acronym that's been developed to help people detect potential melanomas; it's as easy as learning your ABCs (sorry I couldn't resist!) A for Asymmetry If you draw a line through a mole and the two halves don't match, get that me checked! B for Border A benign mole has smooth, even borders unlike melanomas. The borders of an early melanoma tend to be uneven. The edges may be scalloped or notched. C for Colour Moles or birthmarks that have a variety of colours, such as different shades of brown, tan or black are warning signs. A melanoma may also become red, white or even blue! D for Diameter Melanomas are typically larger in diameter than a pencil eraser on your pencil tip (¼ inch or 6mm), but they may sometimes be smaller when first detected. So don't just use size to determine whether you should get checked! E for Evolving Be on the alert when a mole or birthmark that starts to evolve or change in any way. Any change — in size, shape, color, depth, or any new symptom such as bleeding, itching or crusting — see your doctor immediately. What's also really important to remember about melanomas is that they are essentially the 'tip of the iceberg'. What you see on the skin could be double or triple the depth below, and the deeper it is, the more likely it is to spread to other parts of your body. The depth increases with time, so know know your ABCs and get checked immediately if you find something suspicious, so the sooner it is removed the better. Now, I realise it's hard to memorise every mole and birthmark on your body. I certainly didn't at the time of my diagnosis; however, I am so paranoid now that Ive had a freak out over a piece of dirt stuck to my arm that I thought was a new birthmark. I was, nonetheless, fortunate that the change from my birthmark to a mole was so quick that it was hard not to notice, which prompted me to get examined. So here's the good news- you don't have to have a photographic memory to help spot changes. Most dermatologists now offer a service called mole mapping, which documents markings on your body. This is then used as a baseline for comparison at an annual exam. See, easy peasy!