Doctors and dermatologists often warn their patients to keep their eyes open for any unusual moles that suddenly appear on their bodies. Even so, moles can often go unnoticed, or patients may purposefully ignore them. Worse still, some patients choose to ignore them out of fear that it could mean that they have skin cancer. However, this is the worst thing you can do. Read on to learn why you should always see someone immediately if you notice a new, suspicious mole.
Moles and Skin Cancer
Melanoma can be caused by a variety of things, like genetics and UV radiation exposure, but it often causes the same initial result: abnormal moles. While many moles are completely harmless, moles that appear suddenly may be a serious warning sign of a big problem. Unfortunately, that warning sign can also be quite frightening, and ignoring the problem may seem like the only way to keep calm about it.
Early Care = Survival
Melanoma is one of the most aggressive forms of cancer a person can have. It spreads very quickly, and as a result, it has one of the highest mortality rates of any cancer. While this all probably sounds frightening, the thing is, skin cancer is also one of the most treatable forms, providing that you get help early on. When melanoma creates a mole, it's limited to just that one area. In many cases, simply excising the mole can stop skin cancer in its tracks completely. Oftentimes, no further treatment is required, meaning you won't have to endure chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Even if the cancer has spread, if you get help immediately after finding the mole, there's a good chance that it won't have spread far, and stopping it will still be a fairly easy task.
Determining Which Moles Are Dangerous
Almost everyone has moles, and developing new harmless moles in life is a possibility. While it's better to go to a doctor for medical attention to a mole that isn't harmless than to ignore one that is, there's still one easy way to determine if your mole might be problematic.
Melanoma-induced moles tend to be asymmetrical. Normal moles are equal on all sides, meaning that if you drew an invisible pair of lines in the shape of a cross through the mole, each quarter portion would look the same as the next quarter portion. Asymmetrical moles, however, may be jagged on one side, or have a flat line when the rest is round. These moles are the ones that need medical attention right away.
While it's normal to be scared of getting cancer, ignoring an early warning sign is something you should never do. If you think that you need skin cancer treatment, see a doctor immediately to have your mole examined and removed.
