Look out for the signs.
A new study looked over past cases of women under age 50 who had skin cancer. Researchers found that skin cancer caught during pregnancy or just after delivery may be more dangerous and likely to spread to other parts of the body.
It’s best to get to know your skin and look out for any signs of skin cancer so that you can get treatment right away.
Signs of Skin Cancer (Benign is OK, Malignant is cancer)
One half of the mole does not look the same as the other half:
The edges of the mole are not even or smooth:
The mole is not all one color:
The mole may be bigger than the size of a pencil eraser:
Any changes in the way the mole looks like over time:
Keep in mind that if you have any signs, you should see your doctor or health care provider as soon as possible. If you had skin cancer, regular follow-up and check-ups with your doctor are recommended in case the cancer comes back.
Talk to your doctor or health care provider for more information.
Call 800 – 4 – CANCER or 800 – 422 – 6237 for free information on cancer and referrals to services near you. Mon – Fri 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM Eastern time.
Sources:
– Do You Know Your ABCDEs? Skin cancer foundation web site. bit.ly/NzQAd2. Accessed January 23, 2016.
– Tellez A, Rueda S, Conic RZ, Powers K, Galdyn I, Mesinkovska NA, Gastman B. Risk factors and outcomes of cutaneous melanoma in women less than 50 years of age. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2015. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2015.11.014