Spot check

Most moles are harmless.

However, malignant melanoma is a dangerous and potentially deadly form of skin cancer, so it is absolutely vital to be aware of the warning signs of a ‘suspicious’ mole.

We’ve enlisted the help of Dr Ross Perry, medical director of skin clinics chain Cosmedics (www. cosmedics.co.uk), to help us understand what to look out for…

Everybody should regularly check the skin for new or changing moles, bearing in mind the ‘ABCDE’ signs of melanoma, which highlight the common warning signs:

Asymmetry: These moles look a bit lop-sided. They are different shapes and/or sizes from left to right.

Borders: Check the edges of moles. If they are uneven, scalloped or notched rather than smooth, then this might indicate an early melanoma.

Colour: Moles should be a fairly uniform block of colour. Any variation within a mole is another warning sign — those colors can include brown, tan, black, red or blue.

Diameter: If the mole is larger than the size of a pencil eraser, then it is cause for concern. However, early melanomas might start out smaller than a quarter of an inch, so don’t discount any that are small.

Evolving: Any moles which seem to be changing in size, shape, colour or height are deemed risky. Also watch out for itchiness, discharge, bleeding or crustiness.

People with the highest risks are:

Those with episodes of sunburn, especially as a child, and long term excessive sun exposure

Those with fair skin

Those with lots of moles

Those with a family history of skin cancer

A good rule to remember is ‘if in doubt, check it out’.

You should always be suspicious of a new mole, growing moles, the darkest ones on your body and irregular shapes/borders.

Not all moles have symptoms such as bleeding, pain or itching and can just change in appearance, so it’s good to check your body every 2-3 months as a baseline.

Everyone is at risk of skin cancer so being vigilant is important. A general rule is to look for the ‘Ugly Duckling Sign’.

Normal moles usually look fairly similar to each other, while dangerous ones look noticeably different. If there is a mole which just doesn’t look the same as the others, then it’s worth getting it checked out.