• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Doctor shares five main 'red flag' signs to look out for that could mean skin mole is cancerous

Home> News> Health

Updated 21:00 13 Jun 2024 GMT+1Published 18:26 13 Jun 2024 GMT+1

Doctor shares five main 'red flag' signs to look out for that could mean skin mole is cancerous

Dr Sooj shared his handy method for working out whether a mole is dangerous or not

Olivia Burke

Olivia Burke

Millions of us have moles on our bodies and for the most part, they're harmless.

You've probably had them hanging around for the majority of your life, give or take a few newbies, so you're pretty used to them by this point and likely don't pay the coloured spots much attention.

But as we all know, if they begin to change in size, shape or colour, it's best to let a professional take a look.

Advert

Us mere mortals will struggle to differentiate between what's dangerous and what's not, but doctors see this sort of thing on a regular basis and have a good eye for spotting something that looks sinister.

And thanks to the power of social media, all of us lot can benefit from their expertise without visiting a health clinic.

A doctor has taken to TikTok to explain the five main 'red flag' signs to look out for which could indicate that a mole on your skin could be cancerous.

Keep an eye on whether your moles change in size, shape or colour (Getty Stock Image)
Keep an eye on whether your moles change in size, shape or colour (Getty Stock Image)

Dr Sooj, a GP from Hertfordshire, posted an extremely informative clip on the video sharing platform educating people on characteristics which signal it may be a melanoma.

Advert

This is a type of skin cancer which can spread to other parts of the body, and is mainly caused by exposure to ultraviolet light from sources such as the sun and sunbeds.

Age, paleness of skin, moles and a family history of the disease are all contributing factors in the potential development of skin cancer, but those who are often exposed to the sun have a higher chance of developing it.

According to Cancer Research UK, it really helps to 'know how your skin normally looks' if you want to spot skin cancer early, as you are more likely to spot changes easily.

Melanomas can be detected using the ABCDE checklist (Getty Stock Image)
Melanomas can be detected using the ABCDE checklist (Getty Stock Image)

Anyway, back to Dr Sooj - the NHS GP and A&E responder talked his followers through the 'ABCDE checklist', which is a framework which doctors use to try and determine if they've come across a melanoma.

Advert

He explained: "A stands for asymmetrical. Melanomas usually have an uneven shape and two very different halves.

"B stands for border. Melanomas usually have an irregular or ragged border.

"C stands for colours. Melanomas usually have a mix of two or more colours.

"D stands for diameter. Melanomas are usually more than six millimetres wide. Six millimetres is about the same size as a pencil rubber.

"E stands for evolving. A mole that changes shape, size or colour, or bleeds or itches or becomes crusty, is more likely to be a melanoma."

Advert




Dr Sooj went on to explain that melanomas can appear anywhere on your body, although the most common areas to find them are on the back and legs.

Advert

He continued: "But some rarer types can develop inside the eye, on the soles of your feet, on the palms of your hands or on the genitals. Check your skin for any unusual changes or new growths.

"Use a mirror or ask a partner or friend to check any areas that you can't see. "Think about taking a photo so you can see any changes over a period of time. If you've noticed any unusual changes, see your GP."

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images

Topics: TikTok, Health, Cancer, News

Olivia Burke
Olivia Burke

Olivia is a journalist at LADbible Group with more than five years of experience and has worked for a number of top publishers, including News UK. She also enjoys writing food reviews (as well as the eating part). She is a stereotypical reality TV addict, but still finds time for a serious documentary.

X

@livburke_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

8 hours ago
9 hours ago
  • 8 hours ago

    World's 'first flying car' is going on sale much sooner than you think

    Flying cars are still something for the future, but apparently the rapidly approaching future

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    Experts issued warning over certain tattoo colour that could increase risk of deadly disease

    There can be some long-term health risks to going under the tattoo needle

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    Man who didn't sleep for a record 264 hours suffered from horrendous and potentially deadly side effects

    He smashed the record but suffered dangerous side effects in the process

    News
  • 9 hours ago

    The targets Iran could strike as it issues chilling threat to UK amid ongoing conflict

    The world isn't feeling particularly safe right now

    News
  • Doctor explains the ‘red flag’ signs that your bruise could be something worse
  • All 'red flag' warning signs that suggest you have lung damage
  • Main signs of narcissism as diagnosed man says there are three ways you can tell for sure that you aren’t one
  • Doctor shares 10 signs to look out for that could mean your partner has a problem with alcohol