As the temperatures rise and many of us are outdoors enjoying activities, we here at Simple Wellness Massage want to remind you to care for your skin. Remember, that good hydration will keep us healthy, including our skin. Adding sun-block regularly while outdoors is very helpful for the protection on our skin and knowing signs of potential skin cancer, below are visual ways that could potentially save your life!
The most important warning sign of melanoma is a new spot on the skin or a spot that’s changing in size, shape, or color. Another important sign is a spot that looks different from all of the other spots on your skin. If you have any of these warning signs, have your skin checked by a doctor.
The ABCDE rule is another guide to the usual signs of melanoma. Be on the lookout and tell your doctor about spots that have any of the following features:
- A is for Asymmetry: One half of a mole or birthmark does not match the other.
- B is for Border: The edges are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred.
- C is for Color: The color is not the same all over and may include shades of brown or black, or sometimes with patches of pink, red, white, or blue.
- D is for Diameter: The spot is larger than 6 millimeters across (about ¼ inch – the size of a pencil eraser), although melanomas can sometimes be smaller than this.
- E is for Evolving: The mole is changing in size, shape, or color.
Some melanomas do not fit these rules described above, so it’s important to tell your doctor about any changes or new spots on the skin, or growths that look different from the rest of your moles.
Other warning signs are:
- A sore that does not heal
- Spread of pigment from the border of a spot into surrounding skin
- Redness or a new swelling beyond the border of the mole
- Change in sensation, such as itchiness, tenderness, or pain
- Change in the surface of a mole – scaliness, oozing, bleeding, or the appearance of a lump or bump
Simple Wellness Massage would like to remind you that too much skin exposure could potentially lead to burning. We sure do appreciate our customers, they may not enjoy the massage if there is significant skin exposure leading to burning. Again, please take care of your skin to fully enjoy your massage!!!
