May is an important month of the year. Summer gets into full swing, as May celebrates the finish line of the school year, graduation ceremonies, weddings, and perhaps the beginning of new career paths. The cold, dreary winter is in the rearview mirror, as we cruise into warmer, longer days. But most importantly, May serves as Melanoma Awareness Month.
Designated by The American Academy of Dermatology, Melanoma (or Skin Cancer) Awareness Month is an effort to raise awareness about the deadliest form of skin cancer. Melanoma is aggressive, and if left untreated, it can spread all over your body. Melanoma cases have tripled over the past four decades, positioning it as one of the top 10 causes of new cancer cases.
We can’t stress the importance of prevention and early detection enough. A tool we use frequently to help identify the warning signs of skin cancer is the ABCD’s of Melanoma:
- A for Asymmetry – if one half of a mole is different than the other half
- B for Border Irregularity – if the mole’s edges are uneven, blurred or notched
- C for Color – if the mole’s color is uneven and has varying shades of black or brown
- D for Diameter – if the mole’s diameter is greater than six milliliters
Call us at (865) 690-9467 if you notice any of these changes in your skin. Let’s enjoy the summer by protecting our skin from skin cancer!
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