Melanoma is a severe form of skin cancer and affects over 100,000 people in the country every year. Early detection of this cancer is easy as compared to other forms, and it vastly improves the chances of a positive response to treatment. Here are some of the early warning signs and symptoms of melanoma one should consult a doctor about.

1. A new spot on the skin
Doctors recommend self-examination at least once a month. One should try to examine all areas of their body in a well-lit room, preferably with the help of a large mirror. One can ask family or friends to help check the hard-to-see places. One can make allowances for the appearance of new moles on the skin that are not uncommon and usually harmless. However, scrutinizing atypical ones must be a regular exercise. It is also important to make an immediate appointment with a physician or dermatologist to rule out a malignant tumor if one notices anything amiss. In 80 percent of melanoma cases, the disease starts with the appearance of an abnormal mole, but it can also occur on normal-looking skin.

2. Abnormally-sized moles
Typically, moles tend to be oval or round and appear symmetrical. That said, some moles can be abnormal, asymmetrical, and incongruently shaped. One should look out for these types of moles on the skin and see if and how they change over time to observe the early warning signs of melanoma.

3. Scraggy-edged moles
Normal moles are smooth or rounded at the edges, but moles that tend to be cancerous can have scraggy, uneven, ragged, or blurred edges. These are the typical characteristics of melanoma.

4. Moles that change color
Benign moles are a single shade of black, brown, or tan, but melanoma can cause moles to change color. Differing shades of black or brown, and sometimes even pink, red, white, and blue, appear on a mole that’s cancerous. Uneven distribution of color on a mole is one of the early warning signs of melanoma.

5. Hidden or out of sight moles
It is not just the abnormal moles that are visible on the skin that could indicate melanoma. Moles are not always dark or light-colored; they can also be colorless and hard to detect. Most often, melanoma develops in parts of the body that are most exposed to the sun, like the hands, legs, back, and face. In rare cases, melanoma can affect the eyes, fingernails or toenails, and the palms or soles too. Sometimes, other parts like the scalp, insides of the throat and nose, digestive tract, urinary tract, or genitals can be affected by melanoma.

It’s best to observe for any growth, sores, or hurtful sports that turn into a lump, do not heal, and become sensitive or painful to touch. These abnormal growths could even start to itch, crust, or bleed. One should keep an eye out for these early warning signs of melanoma and consult a doctor to examine the spot and perform tests, if necessary, for an accurate diagnosis.