At James Christian Cosmetics, our injectable specialists focus on leading patients to their best facial or physical appearance based on their needs and desires. As such, we like to ensure that our patients maintain the health of their skin. Part of doing this is understanding the importance of checking moles.
Sun Exposure Adds Up
All around the world, men and women love the sun; it’s how many of us are programmed! However, sun lovers in many parts of the world do not have the skin type to support hours spend under harmful rays. In fact, even those with dark skin can sustain skin damage from too much sun exposure.
Individuals with fair skin tend to be at the greatest risk of damage from sun exposure. However, no matter where you live or the color of your skin, you want to practice safe sunning and learn to check your skin periodically.
Types of Skin Cancer
If you have fair skin, spend a lot of time in the sun, or have experienced even one severe sunburn as a child, check your skin regularly for early signs of skin cancer. Some forms of skin cancer are less serious, but better to be safe than sorry.
Squamous cell and basal cell carcinoma, for instance, spread slowly and tend to stay in the area where they begin.
Melanoma, on the other hand, will enter the blood stream and reach into all parts of the body, sometimes causing tumors in organs and places far from where the cancer originated.
Melanoma is No Laughing Matter
Melanoma is quite serious, possibly resulting in fatality if left untreated. Fortunately, early detection and treatment comes with a high success rate for removal. The first step is to check your entire body each and every month for new moles.
This process can be done with the help of a spouse or on your own with the use of mirrors as your handy tools. Use a combination of the bathroom mirror as well as a hand mirror in order to see all areas of the body, including the bottoms of your feet and in between your toes is crucial.
If you feel unsure about how to check for moles be sure to visit your doctor for a brief tutorial. It’s also a good idea to visit them if you’ve found a mole that looks suspicious. It’s impossible to tell if a mole is cancerous just by looking at it and comparing to pictures on Google. Only a trained professional can run the necessary tests to determine if it is or not.
The ABCs of Moles
Patients should check moles using their ABCs:
- A is for asymmetry. A mole should not have uneven sides, with one appearing unmatched or jagged.
- B is for border. Your moles should not have an expanding border. Melanoma may be signaled by moles with small finger-like projections reaching out from the mole itself.
- C is for color. Cancerous moles may exhibit different shades of color or an unusual color, such as black, blue, red, white, or mixed. Pay attention to moles that are brown or tan, but look different than they did when you last checked.
- D is for dimension. Melanoma can appear in any size mole, but often it is found in those with diameters as large as (or larger than) a pencil eraser.
Get a Professional Opinion from your doctor
From all of us at James Christian Cosmetics, we wish you the best of health. Healthy skin is beautiful skin. Continue to practice good sun protection and contact our injectable experts for skin beautifying treatments and tips!
*The information on this page is not intended to be used as medical advice in any way. Always consult with your doctor for any health related concerns and before starting a new diet or exercise program.“
*Information in this article is not medical advice and may not be factually accurate. It is intended for entertainment purposes only. Consult with a physician before attempting any tips in this blog post and to get the most up to date factual data about any procedure or treatment.
