May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, so health care professionals encourage people to protect their skin by wearing sunscreen, donning sunhats, and avoiding excessive exposure to UV rays. Additionally, routine wellness exams that include the inspection of moles and skin growths can detect melanomas early when they're still highly treatable. Here are a few signs you should visit a medical provider to check on your skin health.

3 Signs of Melanoma

1. Changes in Existing Moles

Most individuals are born with a few moles. A normal mole that doesn't require a biopsy or review from your health care team is consistent in color with a distinct round or oval border.

A harmless mole can be brown, tan, or black and should be smaller than a pencil eraser. If a mole you've had your entire life starts to change in color, size, or border shape, the pigment-producing cells may be cancerous.

2. Development of a New Growth

Another sign of melanoma is the sudden development of a new growth on the skin's surface. Contact your health care provider if the growth is hyperpigmented or unusual-looking compared to your existing moles.

Skin cancer professionals encourage patients to know the ABCDE rule. Unusual moles that are asymmetrical, have an unusual border, are changing color, are large in diameter, or are evolving may be melanoma.

3. Swelling or Redness

Many people with melanoma will also experience issues at the border of a new growth or in the skin directly surrounding a mole. Minor swelling and redness that extends beyond the mole can indicate cancerous cells.

Similarly, cancer can appear as a skin sore that doesn't seem to heal. You may also notice itchiness, sensitivity, or pain when touching an unusual mole.

If you want to get checked for melanomas during Skin Cancer Awareness Month, turn to Hillside Family Medicine in Anchorage, AK. This family-owned medical clinic offers professional wellness exams to identify early signs of melanoma, and they'll create a custom treatment plan for any irregularities they find. Get more information about their services online, or call (907) 344-0200 to schedule an appointment.