“In the first instance, I didn’t think anything of it as I have a lot of other moles on my body,” reports Beth. However, after putting off seeking medical advice for many months during lockdown, the lesion grew, changing shape and becoming itchy, something which Dr Muneeb Shah, chief dermatology resident, confirms is a definite red flag. “Specifically, for melanoma, we have a helpful mnemonic for signs to look for in your moles: ABCDE,” he says. Asymmetry – any spot that isn’t symmetric Borders – any spot that has jagged or irregular borders Colour – any spot that’s multiple colours: black, blue, pink, red Diameter – any spot greater than 6mm or the size of a pencil eraser Evolving – any spot that’s changing rapidly A C B D E After eventually speaking to her GP and sending photographs of her skin, Beth was scheduled in for a biopsy which confirmed that she had stage one melanoma – one of three major forms of skin cancer. Dr Shah describes melanoma as “a malignant INSIDE OUT
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxMzM3Nw==