Screen the people you love for Melanoma this Valentine’s Day

One in five Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer. On average, one American dies from Melanoma every hour. However, when detected early, melanoma can be effectively treated.

Melanoma can be found anywhere on the body. It is found most often on the arms and legs of women. Men tend to get more melanomas on their chest, back, abdomen, head, or neck. The palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, and the nail beds are common areas for darker skinned people to have a melanoma. You can identify the warning signs of melanoma by doing a simple skin self-exam every month, and this Valentine’s day make it a point to also screen the people you love. When you do your monthly skin self-exam, look for these ABCDEs of Melanoma:

Instructions for a Self-Skin Check:

Stand in front of a full length mirror in a well lit room. Use a hand held mirror to look at areas that are hard to see.

1. Examine your body in the mirror, both front and back, and then the right and left sides, with your arms raised.

2. Bend elbows, look carefully at forearms, back of upper arms, and palms.

3. Look at the backs of your legs and feet, spaces between toes, and soles.

4. Examine your face, back of neck, and scalp with a hand mirror. Part your hair for a closer look at your scalp.

5. Finally, check your back and buttocks with a hand mirror.

By checking your skin regularly, you will know what is normal for you. It is helpful to record the dates of your skin exams, and to write notes about the way your skin looks. Tell your doctor about any changes or new spots on your skin. You should also tell your doctor about any growths that look different than the rest of your moles.

If you find anything unusual, or notice anything changing, see your physician as soon as possible. In addition to doing routine skin self-exams, it is very important to have your skin checked yearly by a Board Certified Dermatologist.

Dr. Janine Miller is a Board Certified General and Cosmetic Dermatologist practicing at Senter Dermatology on 636 Barrow Street in downtown Anchorage. She can be reached at (907) 276-1315.