Annual Skin Cancer Screening: What Should You Look For?

Your skin plays an important role in keeping happy and healthy.  After all, when it’s looking fresh, clear, and rejuvenated, you’re more likely to feel confident about your place in the world.  But your skin’s health is more than, well, skin deep – in fact, as the warmer months start rolling in, it’s more important than ever to stay on top of skin cancer risks.

How to Perform a Skin Cancer Check

One of the best ways to keep skin cancer at bay is to empower yourself to understand what’s considered “normal” for your skin.  In order to do that, you should perform regular skin cancer screenings to identify what moles and marks are currently on your skin, and if you should be worried about any of them.

The best time to perform a skin cancer screening is right after a shower, before you’ve put on clothing; be sure you have a hand-held mirror to help spot those difficult-to-reach places. Here’s how to perform a skin cancer check:

• Check your face, neck, and hands for moles, skin lesions, and any other noticeable freckles.

• Take the hand mirror and turn your back to your bathroom mirror. Use the hand mirror to check the back of your neck, shoulders, and back – make note of any moles and skin lesions you might see.

• Examine your chest, stomach, and front of legs.

• Use the hand mirror to check your buttocks and back of legs.

• Remember to analyze your feet, including the pads of your feet and between your toes.

Perform this skin cancer screening every year to ensure you stay on top of your skin’s health.

When to Contact Skin Cancer Specialists

Contact us if you notice any of the following:

• A change in the shape and color of a mole or freckle

• A new mole or freckle

• A sore or skin lesion that won’t heal

• A pink, red, or tan lesion that’s slightly raised, and feels like a pimple that won’t go away.

If you notice any of the above symptoms, contact Skin Cancer Specialists, P.C. and Aesthetic Center, with multiple locations in the Atlanta metro, to schedule an advanced skin cancer screening. Click here to schedule a consultation or learn more.