Self examination
It is strongly recommended that you examine your own skin every two to three months along with your yearly skin check by your doctor.
Conducting your own skin exam can be the best way in detecting the early warning signs of cancer.
Get to know your skin, your moles, freckles, blemishes and birthmarks. Be aware of any changes in the size, shape, and colour or number of spots and any sores or blemishes on your skin that don’t heal. These may be the early warning signs of skin cancer.
When should I conduct the exam?
The best time to conduct the exam is after the shower or bath. All areas of the skin should be examined, including the lower back, buttocks, back of the shoulders and back of the thighs.
What do I need?
- a full-length mirror
- a hand held mirror
- a blow dryer (optional)
- body maps (optional)
- a pen or pencil
How do I conduct the exam?
Step one
Examine carefully your face, particularly the nose, lips, mouth and the front and back of your ears. Use both mirrors if necessary to get a clear view.
Step Two
Check your scalp using a blow dryer or your fingers and mirror to expose each section. If it is possible ask a family member or a friend to help you do this.
Step Three
Check the back and palms of your hands, between your fingers and under your fingernails. Continue up your wrists and check both the front and back of your forearms.
Step Four
Using the full-length mirror examine your elbows and all sides of your upper arms and underarms.
Step Five
Next, move onto your neck, chest and torso. If you are female, lift your breasts to view the underside.
Step Six
Using the hand held mirror, with your back to the full-length mirror, examine the back of your neck, shoulders and upper back. Then scan over your lower back, buttocks and the back of your thighs.
Step Seven
Next, sit down on a chair, prop each leg onto a chair or stool and using the hand held mirror check the front and sides of both legs, from your thighs to your shins. Check your ankles, tops and soles of your feet, between your toes and under your toenails. Use the hand held mirror to examine the genitals.
Use a body map
On your first exam, draw dots corresponding to the locations of each mole, freckle, birthmark, bump, sore, scab or scaly patch on your skin. For each dot, note down the approximate size, shape and colour along with the date.
For each exam after that, find each spot on your skin, record the new date and note down any changes in colour, size or shape. If there are changes, consult your doctor immediately.
Record on the body map any spots that were not there at the time of your last exam.
What else can I do?
A regularly scheduled skin examination by your doctor is key to the detection of skin cancer, as it often takes a trained eye to spot the disease in its early stages.
If you are concerned about developing any form of skin cancer, talk to your doctor about the disease. Your doctor will outline what symptoms you should look out for and an appropriate check up schedule for you.