• While parting your hair with your fingers, hairdryer or hair brush, look into the full-length mirror and use the hand mirror to check your scalp.
• Continue by checking front and back of the following areas (note: with back to mirror, use hand mirror to inspect the back of these areas) ears, neck and shoulders, upper arms, underarms, elbows, lower arms, chest, genitals, upper legs and back.
• MEN: the back is the most common site of a melanoma in males— you may need someone to help you here.
• WOMEN: don’t forget to check under your breasts.
• Sitting down, check your hands, including under your nails, lower legs and feet, including soles, heels, between toes and toenails. Continue to use both mirrors to check your buttocks and genitals.

Changes on your skin are not sure signs of cancer. But you should see your health professional if a mark changes or if something doesn’t look quite right to you. Better to be safe than sorry.

To Be Effective, Skin Cancer Early Detection Must Combine:

• 1) Your monthly skin self-check.
• 2) Your yearly doc-check.

© 2005 All illustrations, Fairman Studios, LLC. All rights reserved

Color Variation

Shades of tan and brown, black and sometimes even white, red and blue may appear from one area to the other. Normal moles are usually a single shade of color. A mole of many shades or one that has lightened or darkened should be checked.

Diameter

A mole is suspicious if the diameter is larger than 1/4″. The size of the eraser tip of a pencil.

Evolving

A mole that is shrinking, growing larger, newly elevated, changing color, or begins to itch or bleed should be checked out.