Warning Signs Of Melanoma

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Melanoma, commonly known as skin cancer is not something that we usually bother much about. Excessive exposure to sun, environmental hazards, radiation exposure and hereditary are very common causes of melanoma.

Anyone can get melanoma, but those with fair skin and coloured eyes are at more risk. Large or irregular shaped moles are one of the main symptoms of melanoma.

New Therapy To Treat Inoperable Melanoma

Melanoma is referred to as the most dangerous forms of skin cancer. Technically speaking, the growths become cancerous when there is unrepairable DNA damage to the skin cells.

The tumors generally originate from the pigment producing melanocytes and hence the name. These melanocytes are found on the basal layer of the epidermis.

The upside of all these is that there are warning signs of melanoma which will help you detect this early and get it treated faster. The earlier this is treated, the chances of spreading to other parts of the body is very minimal.

Though this is a not a very common cancer, it causes more deaths than any other cancer because of late diagnosis.

Early Signs Of Skin Cancer

The following are a few of the warning signs of melanoma, which you will need to look out for. This can be made a routine check on your body. You can seek medical advice, if you find anything out of the ordinary.

Look
Moles are the most common symptoms of melanoma. You should check your body to find whether there are any moles that changes in the size, shape, or colour.

Asymmetrical
The benign moles will be symmetrical. To understand this better, when you draw a line through the centre both the sides will be symmetrical. If there are asymmetrical moles, watch them constantly.

Borders
Another one of the warning signs of melanoma, are the borders of the moles. Even in the early stages, the edges of these moles tend to be uneven. The edges are usually blotched. If you find anything unusual, you can always check with the doctor.

Colour
With a benign mole, the colour will remain the same with a shade of brown. This is not the case with a cancerous growth. Melanoma could be red, white or blue. It is always a good practice to check moles once in a while.

Diameter
The symptoms of melanoma are also determined by the diameter of the moles. Benign moles are usually smaller in size. Malignant ones can increase in size. Sometimes, these are smaller in size at the early stages and then grow in size gradually.

Evolve
A benign mole can turn into malignant ones. So when there is some moles that change in the size, shape, colour, trait, seeking medical advice is the best option. When caught early there are better chances of curing this with treatments.

Sun Burn Patches
With the extreme heat, you are sure to get sun burn. The warning signs of melanoma will include these small and scaly patches which changes over time. Care should be taken to learn the body and keep an eye on the changes of the moles.

While we are too much considered of other cancers, melanoma is something that we will usually overlook. Having awareness about the disease will help you find any issues without much delay.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.