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Coupled with a yearly skin exam by a doctor, self-examination of your
skin at least every three months is the best way to detect the early
warning signs of basal cell carcinoma , squamous cell carcinoma, and
malignant melanoma, the three main types of skin cancer. Look for a
new growth or any skin change.
What
you'll need: a bright light; a full-length mirror; a hand mirror; two
chairs or stools; a blow-dryer.
 Examine
head and face, using one or both mirrors. Use blow-dryer to inspect
scalp.
 Check
hands, including nails. In full-length mirror, examine elbows, arms,
underarms.
 Focus
on neck, chest, torso. Women: Check under breasts.
 With
back to the mirror, use hand mirror to inspect back of neck, shoulders,
upper arms, back, buttocks, legs.
 Sitting
down, check legs and feet, including soles, heels, and nails. Use hand
mirror to examine genitals.
Melanoma,
the deadliest form of skin cancer, is especially hard to stop once it
has spread (metastasized) to other parts of the body. But it can be
readily treated in its earliest stages.
The
Skin Cancer Foundation
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