Knowing the five signs of skin cancer and the appearance that skin cancer will take on will help you to determine if you should check with your doctor. Always if you notice anything unusual on your skin that you cannot identify you should check with your doctor. The signs of cancer can be broken down by the letters of the alphabet.

Growths that tend to mutate in shape or grow larger can be cancerous and need to be watched by you carefully. Think of the letter A for asymmetry. What you are typically looking for in a cancerous growth is for the shape to be erratic and not symmetrical like non-cancerous growths. They can appear quickly as well and need to be taken seriously.

For the letter B, we should think about the border of the growth. Skin cancer does not have an easily distinguishable border. Watch out for this in any growth that has appeared on your skin.

“C” stands for color, in that you should monitor the color of any new growths on your skin. This can be one of the five signs of skin cancer, watch our for and beware of red, brown, black, blue, or transulscent growths.

D is for the diameter of the growth. If you have a growth on your skin that is more than a quarter of an inch in diameter you should have it checked out. Growths of this size have a greater chance of becoming cancerous.

“E” is for the elevation of any new growth. Growths with elevated or uneven edges can be be a sign of skin cancer. Carefully monitor your skin for this and the other five skin cancer warning signs.

You are your own best defense in the fight against cancer. Pay attention to your own body and your own health and you will be doing a great deal to keep yourself healthy. If you notice any of these five signs of skin cancer you should consult your doctor immediately. Only a medical professional can tell you for sure if you have a skin cancer growth on your skin. Any unusual skin growth will need to be evaluated and tested to determine if you are in the beginning stages of skin cancer. Remember, the success rate for curing or completely eradicating skin cancer in the early stages is very high.