You frequently hear dermatologists and skin cancer experts talk about the importance of regularly examining your skin, but do you know the best way to check yourself? Your skin moles should remain fairly constant, but here are the steps to find any new or changed moles.
Skin Mole Self-Examination:
- Start with your face, ears, scalp and neck. Use a hand mirror to see the back of your neck and a comb to part your hair to make this easier. Or, ask friend to help check your scalp.
- Stand in front of the mirror and look at the front and back of your body. Remember to raise your arms to look at your sides.
- Next, look at your hands and arms. Carefully examine your fingernails, palms and elbows, and look at your arms from all directions.
- Look at your legs from all angles using your mirror. Remember to check swimsuit areas for moles as well.
- Sit down and examine the bottoms and tops of your feet, your toenails and the spaces between your toes.
- Finally, take notes about your skin’s appearance and mark the dates of your skin mole exam. This will help you identify changes in your moles in the future.
Most of the moles you find likely developed when you were young, and you will continue developing skin moles until the age of 40. Most moles are harmless, but checking your skin regularly will help you track any changes and alert you to seek mole treatment if necessary.
If you find any suspicious or new moles, make an appointment with your Water’s Edge dermatologist to learn if you need skin mole treatment.
