Saturday, July 24, 2010

How common is it to get melenoma in a mole after being on skin for 15 yrs?

It happens all the time. I have had moles since I was a child and have never been a sun worshiper or a tanner. I had two severe sunburns in my life...one at age 7 and one at 21. I had a malignant melanoma in at the age of 32 and many, many basal cells including a rare multi-focal basal cell carcinoma.





A melanoma can occur at anytime so always keep a close watch on any moles (freckles or red areas too) you have. The main signs of a problem are:


the mole is not symetrical (one side should match the other)


changes in color


changes in size





The easy thing to remember is the ABC's:


asymmetry


border


color


diamter


elevation





When in doubt, have the area checked. A melanoma caught early is very easy to treat and treat successfully. Never "sit" on a spot that you aren't sure of or "wait it out". See a doctor.


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