The first Monday of May is Nat’l Skin Self-Examination Day, also known as “Melanoma Monday.” On this day people are encouraged to examine their bodies for skin cancer and learn more about the detection and prevention of melanoma and other skin cancers.
In observance of Melanoma Monday, and in memory of my Uncle Budd, Chris and I performed skin self-examinations in front of our bathroom mirror this evening. To perform a thorough examination you need to strip down to nothing and examine all parts of your body — even under your arms, between your toes, and behind your ears — using a hand mirror when necessary.
There are five things to consider when looking over any moles you encounter during this task, called the ABCDEs of skin examination: Asymmetry (is one half of the mole different from the other?), Border (is it scalloped or poorly defined?), Color (does it vary from one area to another?), Diameter (is it bigger than 6mm?), and Evolving (does it look different than our other moles, or is it changing?).
Founded by the American Academy of Dermatology, Melanoma Monday has been raising awareness since at least 1984. For more information on prevention and screening visit www.melanomamonday.org.