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Home » Topics A–Z » Melanoma. Check your skin today
Author: Vanessa Ngan, Staff Writer; Copy Editor: Clare Morrison; Chief Editor: Dr Amanda Oakley, Dermatologist, Hamilton, New Zealand, October 2013. About Melanoma is sponsored by the New Zealand Dermatological Society Incorporated.
When melanoma is found and removed in its early stages, over 90% of people are long-term survivors. However, if the melanoma has already reached an advanced stage when discovered, and has spread to other organs in the body then your chance of making it through are slim. Less than 20% of people survive for 5 years after melanoma metastases have been found. The best cure for melanoma is early detection.
You can help find melanoma early. If you're an adult, particularly if you are older than 50 years or if melanoma runs in the family, you should:
Watch our video on how to do a self-examination.
When doing a self-check for melanoma there are certain features you can look out for in your spots and moles. Two methods you can use to help ‘spot the difference’ are the Ugly Duckling Sign and the ABCDEs of melanoma.
Most moles and spots on your body are the same or are similar-looking to each other. The method behind the Ugly Duckling Sign is for you to compare your moles with each other. If any mole stands out or looks different from that of surrounding moles, it is the ugly duckling.
An ugly duckling may be a single large dark mole in amongst a sea of smaller lighter moles, or it could be a single small light mole in amongst a sea of large dark moles. The point is that it sticks out from the rest of the crowd.
If you find an ugly duckling mole with any of the ABCDEs, you should get it checked out by a doctor immediately.
Melanomas are not usually symmetrical in shape. If you draw a line down the middle of the mole, the two sides don’t match
Melanomas usually have crooked borders or edges that tend to be uneven and ill-defined.
Melanomas are often more than one colour. They may be mixture of different colours (red, blue, black, or brown) or shades of one colour such as shades of brown, tan or black.
Melanomas are often bigger than 6 mm in diameter (that is about the size of a pencil head) but can be smaller if picked up early. The letter D is also used to describe:
This means that you need to be aware of any changes that have occurred since you last checked the spot. Changes may be in the size, shape, colour or thickness, and any new symptoms such as bleeding, itching or crusting.
October January
If you find a mole with any of the ABCDEs, you should get it checked out by a doctor.
Watch our video on how to do a self-examination.
See smartphone apps to check your skin.
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The video below on self skin examination and is hosted by DermNetNZ. It has been produced in association with Dr Paul Jarrett and Melanoma New Zealand.
Self skin examination video.
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