Skin cancer can develop anywhere, so during your screening your doctor will check your whole body. Your doctor will even check parts that don’t get exposed to the sun, like the skin between your toes.
If your doctor finds moles or growths that look abnormal, he or she may remove part or all of them and send them to a lab for testing. Your doctor may also remove pre-cancerous growths (actinic keratosis) to keep them from turning into cancer.
Check your skin on your own once a month too – especially if you spend a lot of time in the sun. The most common signs of skin cancer are changes in your skin, such as sores that won’t heal and moles that change shape. If you have moles, it’s a good idea to take photos of them so you’ll know whether they’re changing over time.
