What is Melanoma and what does it look like?

Melanoma is the most deadly skin cancer, but has an excellent prognosis if it is caught early.

Though melanoma may occur any where on your skin, melanoma is found most often on the legs of women or the backs of men. It is usually a brown to black lesion which is not uniform in border, color or surface. The "ABCDE's of melanoma" have been described to help distinguish a regular mole from melanoma. The acronym stands for Asymmetry (most healthy moles are uniform), Border (irregular), Color (irregular or change in), Diameter (larger than a pencil eraser-not reliable), and Evolving (changing). Melanomas on chronically sun-damaged skin like the face may appear like a brown patch or freckle with irregular color.

Melanomas may be treated with Mohs Micrographic Surgery.

« return