The monthly self-exam is the exam you can do every month by looking at your skin for any new moles or growths and making sure you don’t see any significant changes in existing moles or growths. Some of the signs that a particular a mole could be cancerous are: color variability within the mole, uneven margins to the mole, lack of symmetry in the shape of the mole, and a size greater than 6 mm.

You need this exam to detect skin cancer, hopefully in its very early stages. There are 3 main kinds of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma, with melanoma being the most dangerous. Most skin cancers, even melanoma, are curable if caught early, so it is essential to detect skin cancer as soon as possible.

Despite these screening recommendations, experts are still researching and questioning the overall efficacy of skin cancer screening.

The National Cancer Institute has excellent instructions on how to do a detailed skin self-exam at www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/wyntk/skin/page13.

Report any suspicious growths or skin changes to your doctor as soon as possible.

• Sun exposure, sunburn, tanning beds
• Skin that burns and freckles easily from the sun
• Family or personal history of skin cancer
• Age >40
• Fair complexion with light skin and eyes
• Lots of moles and some kinds of moles
• Scarring or radiation the skin
• Some genetic diseases
• Smoking (squamous cell)