The simple method you can use to detect melanoma

If your arms are anything like mine, they’re covered in age spots, moles, pigmentations, freckles, dots and I don’t even know what else!

But one thing I’m always looking out for is the tell-tale signs of melanoma.

Having a mother who caught hers in time thanks to a masseuse, I am particularly fastidious in checking my moles. My husband has the job of checking the back half, but how was I to know he was looking for the right things?

Thankfully the Cancer Council has this fantastic infographic that breaks down the tell-tale signs of melanoma and helps us know what to look out for.

Melanoma accounts for one in ten cancer diagnoses and is more common in men that women.

So please, familiarise yourself with this chart, check yourself, check your loved ones and remember to cover up this summer.

[Editor’s note: We received this comment on this story and are adding it here so that others know what to look out for:]

May I strongly suggest that this message be updated with the addition of E for evolving. This means any blemish that is changing in shape colour etc. Can you imagine a tiny pink, shiny regular pimple like blemish that is growing steadily? My daughter had one in her scalp. Her GP said we’ll keep an eye on that but was not concerned enough to send her to a specialist. Some weeks later it was becoming annoying so she went to a skin specialist. Biopsy revealed that it was Nodular Melanoma, very aggressive and deadly. Yes. After several operations to remove the primary and several secondaries, my beloved daughter died a year later at age 50. Earlier detection would have given her greater life expectancy. Her oncologist said that even GPs are poorly educated on these evolving melanomas.

Have you or a loved one experienced melanoma? Did you know what to look out for? Share your stories with us.