Abcd of moles skin#

Although this skin cancer rarely spreads (metastasises) to other organs of the body, it can cause destroy surrounding tissue and disfigure the skin surface.

It occurs most frequently on sun-exposed regions of the body.

Is the most common form of skin cancer.

Abcd of moles how to#

This section contains information about these types of cancers, what to look for, and how to prevent them. You should bring it to the attention of your doctor immediately, accurately describing the symptoms and your reason for concern.

Different from others (The Ugly Duckling).

MELANOMA DOES NOT ALWAYS FIT THE A.B.C.D. The frightening thing about nodular melanoma is that because they are growing fast, they can go deep very quickly (within a few months), which is why they are so dangerous and need early diagnosis and removal. This type of melanoma can affect anyone but is generally much more common in men over 50. In the early stages, this change might just be a sense of change rather than visible – perhaps the mole is itchy or just feels funny. The moles don’t need to be dark or have any other colour to them, but the key giveaway is that they are raised, often very symmetrical, are firm to touch, and most importantly are changing/growing progressively. Nodular melanoma usually has all three of the below criteria: Fortunately, they do behave in a way that allows them to be identified early using the E.F.G. This type of melanoma does not subscribe to the ABCD rule and thus can go undetected. There is a class of rapidly growing, nodular melanoma, which represents about 20% of all cases of melanoma.

Typically, melanomas are at least 6mm in diameter (the diameter of a pencil). Areas of white, grey, red, pink, or blue also may be seen.ĭIAMETER: Size changes and usually increases. Shades of black, brown, and tan may be present. Superficial spreading melanoma can have any one of the following criteria:ĪSYMMETRY: The shape of one half does not match the other.īORDER: The edges are often ragged, notched, blurred, or irregular in outline the pigment may spread into the surrounding skin.ĬOLOUR: The colour is uneven. rule has been very effective at aiding the early identification of superficial spreading melanomas. Please see your doctor immediately if you have a skin lesion that you are worried about. This section helps to identify changes that might signal melanoma. The following information is provided by Dr McCann for patients wishing to learn more about skin cancer- Recognising Melanoma Dr Melissa is also a certified Laser practitioner and can perform Laser removal of benign skin lesions such as age spots, moles and skin tags, and is a qualified cosmetic chemist having completed the Diploma of Personal Care Formulation and can provide expertise in skincare products.

Abcd of moles professional#

Dr Amy Tattesal completed several years of training in plastic surgery before moving to the Whitsundays and completing her general practice specialist training and bringing her expertise in excellent skin excision surgical techniques to her patients.ĭr Melissa has completed the Professional Certificate in Skin Cancer Surgery, has completed modules from the Masters in Skin Cancer Medicine UQ covering skin cancer medicine and dermoscopy and is currently completing the Diploma in Primary Care Dermatology with the Australasian College of Dermatology. He brings his expertise in surgical management to his patients and has a keen interest in skin cancer diagnosis and management. In addition, Dr Colin Giorcelli has completed advanced surgical training, performing surgical procedures at Proserpine Hospital. Whilst all of the doctors providing services are able to perform skin checks and excisions of lesions, Dr Melissa McCann has undertaken postgraduate training in Skin Cancer Medicine & Surgery. In addition, our practice provides the facility Dermengine – a leading digital platform to compare and analyse skin lesions and allow accurate monitoring of suspect lesions over a period of time. Our clinic facilities provide doctors with the use of the latest Dermoscopy equipment for skin checks – a handheld dermoscope device that uses polarised light and magnification to assist the doctor when observing coloured skin lesions in the deeper skin layers, increasing the chance of detecting melanoma. Approximately two in three Australians will be diagnosed with skin cancer by the time they are 70, with more than 750,000 people treated for one or more non-melanoma skin cancers each year. With Australia and North QLD having the dubious honour of leading the world in the incidence of skin cancer including melanoma, Whitsunday Family Practice prioritises providing the latest technology and services to the doctors using our facility.