For most persons, yearly screening by a doctor as well as regular self-exams are essential for early detection.
Many dermatologists recommend that people conduct skin self-exams about once a month (or more, if risk is particularly high).
This check, which should be done in a well-lighted room with a floor-length mirror and a hand mirror, should not take more than 10 minutes once you get the hang of it.
You’ll need to examine every perk of your skin, from your scalp (using a blow dryer to lift hair away if necessary) to the bottoms of your feet.
The more frequent you do these self-exams, the more familiar you will be with every freckle, mole, sore, lump, and blemish on your body and the better you will be at identifying potential trouble in the form of new markings or changes in the size, shape, or color of existing spots.
A self-exam body map can help keep track of what’s normal for you and what’s not. (1)
Warning Signs of Basal Cell Cancer
These slow-growing skin cancers can easily be ignore unless they become big and begin to itch, bleed, or even hurt.