Do you always forget to apply sunscreen? If yes, it's time to change this habit and start applying it now. Otherwise, your skin would be harmed by UV rays, and this will destroy the DNA of your skin as well as causing cancer.

Skin cancer is a deadly disease that could happen in one of five people by the age of 70. Among the different kinds of skin cancer, melanoma is the most severe type of skin cancer that is difficult to treat. Risk factors for melanoma include overexposure to the sun, having fair skin, and a family history of melanoma.

 If identified early, melanoma can most probably be cured. Therefore, skin examinations, both self and with a dermatologist, are exceptionally important. You should immediately get examined by a dermatologist after you discover a NEW, CHANGING or UNUSUAL thing that happens on your skin as it could be skin cancer.

For example, a sore that does not heal within three weeks. An “ABCDE” method has been created as a guideline to spot signs of melanoma. It stands for asymmetry (unmatched sides), border (scalloped border), color (can be black, brown, red, blueish purple or even colorless), diameter (larger than the size of a pencil eraser) and evolution (changing in size, shape, or color).

Below are the parts of the body that you can examine by yourself as prevention of skin cancer. 

1. Examine your face

Occasionally check your nose, lips, mouth, and ears (both front and back).

2. Check your scalp

Use a blow-dryer and mirror to expose every section to check your scalp. 

3. Examine your hands

Check thoroughly from the palms and backs, between the fingers and finally fingernails. Raise the wrists to examine both the front and back of your forearms.

4. Scan your arms

Using a full-length mirror, scan the elbows, all sides of your upper arms and the underarms.

5. Inspect your torso and back

Focus on the neck, chest, torso, and the undersides of the breasts. Using a full-length mirror and a hand mirror to inspect the back of your neck, shoulders, upper back, lower back, buttocks, and backs of both legs.

6. Inspect your legs

Sit down and use the hand mirror to check the genitals, the front, and sides of both legs, thigh, and shin. Finally, finish with ankles and feet, including soles, toes, and nails.

Know the way to do the self-examination for skin cancer? Start doing it now!