What to Watch for

Unusual moles that may indicate melanoma:

To help you identify characteristics of unusual moles that may indicate melanomas or other skin cancers, think of the letters A-B-C-D-E:

A) is for asymmetrical shape. Look for moles with irregular shapes, such as two very different-looking halves.

B) is for irregular border. Look for moles with irregular, notched or scalloped borders — characteristics of melanomas.

C) is for changes in color. Look for growths that have many colors or an uneven distribution of color.

D)is for diameter. Look for new growth in a mole larger than 1/4 inch (about 6 millimeters).

E) is for evolving. Look for changes over time, such as a mole that grows in size or that changes color or shape. Moles may also evolve to develop new signs and symptoms, such as new itchiness or bleeding.Other suspicious changes in a mole may include:

Scaliness Itching Spreading of pigment from the mole into the surrounding skin Oozing or bleeding Cancerous (malignant) moles vary greatly in appearance. Some may show all of the changes listed above, while others may have only one or two unusual characteristics.

Sunscreen became very important in our house, having two fair skinned, blonde hair, blue eyed girls, we became very concerned with their skin care and when asked as the teenage years came "can I go to a tanning bed?" the answer was "NO" I know some of this is graphic and yucky to read, but so is the alternative.