What are the signs of melanoma?
• Asymmetry: One half of the mole does not match the other half. • Border Irregularity: The edges are tagged, notched, or blurred. • Color: The pigmentation is not uniform. Shades of tan, brown, and black are present. Dashes of red, white, and blue add to the mottled appearance. Changes in color distribution, especially the spread of color from the edge of a mole into the surrounding skin, also are an early sign of melanoma. • Diameter: The mole or skin growth is larger than 6 mm, or about the size of a pencil eraser. Any growth of a mole should be of concern. • Elevation/Enlarging: A mole suddenly grows in size or rapidly becomes elevated.
