We recommended that everyone practice a monthly head-to-toe self examination of their skin, to closely monitor your skin for any new or changing lesions that might be cancerous or precancerous. Skin cancers found and removed early are almost always curable.
Some helpful tips to accomplish this can be found below:
- Check your skin monthly
- Use ABCDE to recognize changes in the moles on your body
- Look for a mole that doesn’t look like the others
If you notice any changes contact our office for evaluation at (727) 734-4551.
Below are some signs and symptoms to watch for during your monthly self skin exam:
Asymmetry
Is one half of a mole unlike the other?
Is one half of a mole unlike the other?

Border
Does a mole have irregular borders? Irregular borders can be a sign of any early melanoma.
Does a mole have irregular borders? Irregular borders can be a sign of any early melanoma.

Color
More than one color could be a warning sign.
More than one color could be a warning sign.

Diameter
Do you have a mole greater than the size of a pencil eraser?
Do you have a mole greater than the size of a pencil eraser?

Enlarging/Evolution
Has there been any change in size, shape, or color, or any new symptom such as bleeding, itching or crusting?
Has there been any change in size, shape, or color, or any new symptom such as bleeding, itching or crusting?
