Submitted by Doug Leone, MD and Adrienne Schupbach, MD, Dermatology and Mohs Surgery Institute
Everyone should get in the habit of doing a head-to-toe self-exam to check for any signs of skin cancer. The best time to do this is after a shower or bath. Check your skin in a room with plenty of light using both a full-length mirror and a hand-held mirror. It’s best to learn the location and usual look and feel of your birthmarks, moles, and other marks. Have a dermatologist do a full-body skin check to be sure that any existing moles or spots are normal. Then, about once a month, check for anything new, including:
- A new mole (that looks different from your other moles)
- A new red or darker colored, flaky patch that may be a little raised
- A new flesh-colored, firm bump
- A change in the size, shape, color, or feel of a mole
- A sore that doesn’t heal
It’s important that this self-exam is more thorough than a quick glance in the mirror at body parts that are easy to see. Check yourself from head to toe, including your face, neck, ears, and scalp. It can be hard to check your scalp by yourself, so you may want to enlist the help of another adult. Look at the front and back of your body in the mirror. Then, raise your arms, and look at your left and right sides. Bend your elbows. Look carefully at your fingernails, palms, forearms (including the undersides), and upper arms. Examine the back, front, and sides of your legs. Also look around your genital area and between your buttocks. Sit and closely examine your feet, including your toenails, your soles, and the spaces between your toes.
By checking your skin regularly, you’ll learn what is normal for you. If you find anything unusual, see your doctor. You should also see a dermatologist for an annual skin cancer check. Dermatologists are trained to spot abnormalities that you can’t see or may have missed. Skin cancers that are found and removed early are almost always curable.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact the Dermatology and Mohs Surgery Institute at 309-451-DERM (3376), or visit www.dermatologistbloomington.com. Dr. Leone and Dr. Schupbach, both residents of Bloomington, are board-certified dermatologists, specializing in medical and cosmetic dermatology, including the treatment of skin cancer, moles, acne, rashes, warts, and all skin disorders. Dr. Leone is one of the few Mohs-trained surgeons in the area. Their practice is located at 3024 E. Empire St., 2nd Floor, in the Advocate BroMenn Outpatient Center.
Photo credit: LuckyBusiness/iStock