Skin Cancer Prevention: DIY
Anyone can get skin cancer. Detecting it early on can mean a world of difference - to some, that difference can be between life and death. The best part? ANYONE can learn to detect signs of skin cancer and it only takes a few simple steps.
Materials needed:
A well-lit room
A full-length mirror
A hand-held mirror to look at areas that are hard to see
A spouse, partner, or close friend or family member to help you with hard-to-see areas like your back or scalp.
Note: According to the American Cancer Society, the best time to check your own skin is after a bath or shower.
SteP One: Face the Mirror
Check your face, ears, neck, chest, and belly. Women will need to lift their breasts to check the skin underneath.
Check your underarm areas, both sides of your arms, the tops and palms of your hands, in between your fingers, and under your fingernails.
Step two: Sit down
Check the front of your thighs, shins, tops of your feet, in between your toes, and under your toenails.
Now use a hand mirror to look at the bottoms of your feet, your calves, and the backs of your thighs, first checking one leg and then the other.
Use the hand mirror to check your buttocks, genital area, lower and upper back, and the back of your neck and ears. Or it may be easier to look at your back in the wall mirror using a hand mirror.
Use a comb or hair dryer to part your hair so that you can check your scalp.
When examining, look for any moles, blemishes, or birthmarks from the top of your head to your toes. If you look at your skin regularly, you will know what’s normal for you.
In thinking about and looking for possible skin cancers, many are found on parts of the body that tend to get more sun, such as the face, head, neck, and arms. But skin cancers can occur anywhere on the body.
Not all skin cancers look the same. In fact, skin cancers can show up in many shapes and sizes. Sometimes they might even look like other non-cancerous skin conditions.
Some of the more common ways in which skin cancers can appear include:
A new, expanding, or changing growth, spot, or bump on the skin
A sore that bleeds and/or doesn’t heal after several weeks
A rough or scaly red patch, which might crust or bleed
A wart-like growth
A mole (or other spot on the skin) that’s new or changing in size, shape, or color
A mole with an odd shape, irregular borders, or areas of different colors
Tips and Tricks:
Spend time carefully going over the entire surface
Learn the pattern of moles, blemishes, freckles, and other marks on your skin so that you’ll notice any changes next time.
Be sure to show your doctor any areas that concern you.
Whether you’re doing a skin self-exam or just looking at your skin at any time, you might notice something that has just appeared or that has recently changed. Maybe it’s a mole that looks new or different. Maybe it’s an area that’s dry and scaly and keeps coming back. No matter what you notice when you’re looking at your skin, if you see anything that concerns you, be sure to have it checked by a doctor.
If you can’t see the doctor right away, you might want to take close-up photos of the area every few days or so. These photos might help your doctor see if the area is changing when you are able to get an appointment.
