Your skin is the largest organ of your body. And, it is arguably the most important organ, as it protects your body from the elements and keeps everything inside of the body in its place. As such, you should make sure to take proper care of your skin at all times. Keeping an eye on any moles, freckles or skin tags you may have is a major part of taking proper care of your skin. Certain changes in the appearance of these marks on your skin can indicate that they have gone from being normal to cancerous. So, to best ensure that you detect any signs of skin cancer as early as possible, you need to know what to look out for. Know the signs of trouble and you will keep your skin nice and healthy for many years to come. 

Undefined Edges and Borders

When it comes to your moles, one factor you should pay close attention to is the border around the edges of the mole. A normal, healthy mole has distinct and defined edges. On the contrary, unhealthy skin cells (often associated with a type of skin cancer known as melanoma) often have blurred edges.

This means that if your mole seems to fade into your skin or has fuzzy, blurry borders, you should head to your dermatologist. Fuzzy borders do not mean with 100 percent certainty that you have a cancerous mole, but you should get it checked just in case. Your dermatologist will likely schedule a mole removal procedure to test the tissue and get rid of the potential problem just in case. 

Changes In Color

You know your own skin better than anyone else. So, when you look at your moles, you should know what colors they normally are. If you glance down at your arm one day and your mole that had always been light in color suddenly looks dark brown or is red and looks irritated, this is a sign of possible trouble. Sudden color changes can be an indicator of pre-cancerous cells or can be a sign that the mole has become malignant.

Additionally, moles should be uniform in their color composition. This means that within the borders of a single mole, there should be no variation in color. If you notice color gradients, fading, or a mole center that is a different color from the surrounding tissue, these can be worrisome signs. 

Even if your mole has always had variations in color, you should point this out to your dermatologist as soon as possible. While it is unlikely that a mole that has always had some variation in color is cancerous, it is always better safe than sorry. Your dermatologist will best be able to determine if the mole poses a health risk.

Now that you know the basic signs of skin and mole trouble, you are well-equipped to take the best possible care of your skin. Any time that you spot one of these troublesome signs, contact your dermatologist (at Advanced Dermatology & Skin Cancer Specialists or another clinic) to schedule an appointment to have it checked out as soon as possible.