Melanoma skin cancer is unfortunately the one people are most afraid of according to skin specialist Dr Ross Perry. He said: This is the that one can spread and kill people and is the most aggressive of the two forms of skin cancer.” A huge 70 per cent of all melanomas are a brand new mole and tend to have a certain appearance. Dr Perry said: “Melanomas are generally dark, irregular and flat moles.
“But they can occur on any part of your body – most commonly for men on the back, most commonly for women on the legs.”
Non-melanoma skin cancer often has different signs and symptoms.
Dr Perry explained: “They often start as a red scaly patch of skin and they often itch and bleed a little bit.
“They can often sometimes even grow out of the skin a little bit and from a little bit of a raised bump.”
Non-melanoma skin cancers are much more easily treated and much more common in people in their 50s, 60s and 70s.”
He added non-melanoma skin cancers are also much more related to areas of sun exposure.
The NHS recommends using the ABCDER checklist to help you tell the difference between a normal mole and a melanoma:
Asymmetrical – melanomas have two very different halves and are an irregular shape
Border – melanomas have a notched or ragged border
Colours – melanomas will be a mix of two or more colours
Diameter – most melanomas are larger than 6mm (1/4inch) in diameter
Enlargement or elevation – a mole that changes size over time is more likely to be a melanoma
Wearing sunscreen can help you prevent UV damage. This is how long before leaving your home you should put on sunscreen.
