Like most types of cancer, skin cancer is easier to treat when it's caught early. If you suffer from skin cancer in North Logan, Brigham City, Washington Terrace, and Marriott-Slaterville, UT, home exams and visits to your dermatologists, Dr. Robert Young and Dr. Jared Heaton of Rocky Mountain Dermatology, can help you protect your health.
Self-Exam Basics
These tips can help you spot changes in your skin that may be signs of skin cancer in North Logan, Brigham City, Washington Terrace, and Marriott-Slaterville, UT:
- Examine Every Inch of Your Skin: It's easy to take a look at your arms, legs, and abdomen, but it's a little trickier to check out your back or other out-of-the-way places. Use mirrors for these spots, or ask a friend to take a look for you.
- Schedule Monthly Exams: Regular self-exams will help you ensure that you spot skin cancer signs promptly. Schedule your exam for the same date every month to make it easier to remember.
- Look for Unusual Spots or Patches of Skin: Skin changes won't necessarily be dramatic if you have skin cancer. You may see a pimple that never seems to go away or notice a patch of skin that's always flaky or crusty. An open sore that doesn't heal, or red, brown, pink, black, or brown spots on your skin could be skin cancer signs.
- Check Out Your Moles: A change in your mole can be a sign that you have melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer. Signs of trouble include a change in color or texture or a growing mole. Are both halves of your mole symmetrical? What about the border of the mole? If the edges of a mole become blurred, irregular, or rough, you could have melanoma. Other skin cancer symptoms include red, swollen, painful, itchy, or oozing moles.
Have you noticed a suspicious spot or mole? Get in touch with Dr. Young and Dr. Heaton of Rocky Mountain Dermatology and schedule an appointment. Call (435) 787-0560 for the North Logan, UT, office, or (801) 827-9100 for the Brigham City, Washington Terrace, and Marriott-Slaterville, UT, offices.