How can you tell if you have a melanoma?
Melanomas on the feet are rare, but I have seen multiple instances of them occur. Some we were able to excise early enough while others were too advanced and amputation was needed.
Here are some simple rules to follow when looking at a suspicious mole or lesion on your skin.
ABCD Signs
- Assymetry- if you place an imaginary line through the lesion, are both signs the same?
- Borders- are the borders regular?
- Color- is the color uniform?
- Diameter- is it larger than a No. 2 pencil eraser?
If you answered yes to any of these it is important to get the mole or spot looked at.
Something else important to remember, it doesn’t have be pigmented or a colored spot to be bad. Scaly areas can sometimes be an indicator of a lesion that should be checked.