Is it a Freckle, Mole or Skin Cancer?

Wondering if that strange spot on your skin is a freckle, mole, or a form of skin cancer? There are ways to tell. Most people don't really pay much attention to their skin, especially those segments that we can't see easily. Those that are in a high risk group for skin cancer should consider full body photographs made at their dermatologist yearly so that they can keep track of changes in any freckle, mole, or suspicious spots. Take out your mirror and start inspecting because you'll now be able to tell if that little brown spot is a freckle, a mole, or a suspicious area that could indeed be skin cancer.

Freckles are usually found on the face and the arms as small brown spots. They are more common in summer with sun exposure, after a sunburn, and in higher prevalence with people that are fair skinned and with light or red hair. Freckles are sometimes genetic and do not pose any type of health risk to the people that have them. Freckles don't have a real treatment other than using a sunscreen in the summer, but if you really want them removed there are laser treatments that can rid you of them, or you can cover them with makeup. There are those that believe that freckles add character and depth, especially to faces and shoulders. It is a personal opinion and they shouldn't be immediately thought to be rid of as "imperfections".

Moles are brown or black growths on the skin. Moles can be in a single formation or in a group and appear anywhere on the body. They usually appear in childhood and cease around the mid-20s. Moles appearing after age 30 are usually suspicious and need to be monitored. The vast majority of moles are benign and don't pose a threat to those that have them

If any mole bleeds, oozes, itches, or becomes tender and scaly then you will need to see a physician. Changes in any mole that you've had for a while, new moles that pop up, or a mole that becomes tender, should have special attention paid to. There is a simple moniker on when moles become suspicious: A, B, C, D, E.