Skin Cancer is the cancer you can see

Hey,
what’s that?

Keep an eye out for any NEW moles or blemishes that have popped up – especially if they appear after age 21.

A leopard’s spots don’t change – and neither should yours

Always check if your spots are CHANGING in color, shape, size or texture.

One of these things is not like the others…

Look for spots that are UNUSUAL in outline or continuously itch, hurt, crust or bleed for more than 3 weeks.

Reflect on This

There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to skin cancer, so make sure you know all the facts.

MORE THAN
2 PEOPLE DIE OF SKIN CANCER EVERY HOUR

SKIN CANCER IS THE
MOST COMMON TYPE OF CANCER
IN THE UNITED STATES

1 IN 5 AMERICANS
DEVELOP SKIN CANCER
BY THE AGE OF 70

YOUR RISK FOR MELANOMA DOUBLES IF YOU’VE HAD
MORE THAN 5 SUNBURNS

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT IF YOU
CATCH SKIN CANCER EARLY ENOUGH

 

More to See

Hear what people had to say about their personal encounter with The Big See.

“Mom, What’s That?”

It’s the one question that would save Sue Manber’s life. Skin cancer can happen to anyone, at any age, on any part of the body. Catching it early can be the difference between life and death – and Sue’s story is proof of that.

 

The Step by Step Self-Exam

You have the most powerful tool to detect skin cancer. Your eyes. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends that you do a head-to-toe self-examination of your skin every month, and if you see something, do something. Remember, if you detect skin cancer early enough, you can be A-OK. So, what are you waiting for?

How to check your skin

Here’s what you’ll need: a bright light, a full-length mirror, a hand mirror, two chairs or stools and a blow-dryer.

 1. Examine your face

Especially your nose, lips, mouth and ears—front and back. Use one or both mirrors to get a clear view.

 2. Inspect your scalp

Thoroughly inspect your scalp using a blow-dryer and mirror to expose each section to view. Get a friend or family member to help, if you can.

    3. Check your hands

Palms and backs, between the fingers and under the fingernails. Continue up the wrists to examine both the front and back of your forearms.

   4. Scan your arms

Standing in front of the full-length mirror, begin at the elbows and scan all sides of your upper arms. Don’t forget the underarms.

 5. Inspect your torso

Next, focus on the neck, chest and torso. Women should lift breasts to view the undersides.

 6. Scan upper back

With our back to the full-length mirror, use the hand mirror to inspect the back of your neck, shoulders, upper back and any part of the back of your upper arms you could not view in step 4.

 7. Scan lower back

Still using both mirrors, scan your lower back, buttocks and backs of both legs.

     8. Inspect your legs

Sit down; prop each leg in turn on the other stool or chair. Use the hand mirror to examine the genitals. Check the front and sides of both legs, thigh to shin, ankles, tops of feet, between toes and under toenails. Also examine the soles of your feet and heels.

If you see something NEW, CHANGING or UNUSUAL, get it checked out right away!