The key to detecting skin cancers is to notice changes in your skin. Look for:

​

• Large brown spots with darker speckles located anywhere on the body.

• Dark lesions on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, fingertips toes, mouth, nose or genitalia.

• Translucent pearly and dome-shaped growths.

• Existing moles that begin to grow, itch or bleed.

• Brown or black streaks under the nails.

• A sore that repeatedly heals and re-opens.

• Clusters of slow-growing scaly lesions that are pink or red.

 

The American Academy of Dermatology has developed the following ABCDE guide for assessing whether or not a mole or other lesion may be becoming cancerous.