SKIN CHECK
As healthcare providers, we are highly concerned about the health of your skin, and recommend regular, rigorous monitoring of all moles on the body for skin cancer. This monitoring should include professional skin cancer screenings with your healthcare provider and routine self-examinations in between professional ones. The most common warning sign of skin cancer is a visible change on the skin, like a new growth, or a change in an existing lesion or mole.
When examining moles (all over the skin, including between the fingers and toes and on the back) look for:
Asymmetry—one half does not match the other
Border—edges are ragged or blurred
Color—uneven shades of brown, black, tan, red, white or blue
Diameter—a change in size (usually greater than 6mm, about the size of a pencil’s eraser)
Elevation
As for removal of moles for cosmetic reasons, there are several methods available, including chemical treatment and excision. A consultation will determine what method is appropriate for you.