Simple Steps to Reduce Men’s Cancer Risk

Avoid UV Rays, cont’d

The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends learning your ABCDEs to identify unusual skin changes:

  • Asymmetry: Do you have any marks that are not round and symmetrical?
  • Borders: Cancerous marks tend to be undefined, like using watercolors rather than, say, pencils.
  • Color: Is the mark more than one color? Melanoma can appear in different shades of brown, black, red and even blue.
  • Diameter: Use a pencil’s eraser to gauge the size of the mark. If it’s larger than the eraser, about a quarter inch, you may need to see a doctor. However, they may be smaller when first detected.
  • Evolving: Monitor the mark for any changes or if the mark becomes itchy or begins to bleed.
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Review Date: 
July 2, 2014

Last Updated:
July 2, 2014