What should you know about age for melanoma?

There is no age at which a suspicious lesion can safely be dismissed. A clinician considers age alongside the lesion's appearance, personal and family history, skin type, sun exposure and previous skin cancers.

Melanoma is a cancer of pigment-producing cells. It may arise in an existing mole or appear as a new mark, including on skin that is not regularly exposed to sunlight. Older age can add to the clinical context because ultraviolet damage accumulates, yet age alone neither confirms nor excludes melanoma.

Melanoma may present with a new or changing pigmented lesion, but many moles and marks are benign. Assessment focuses on asymmetry, irregular borders, uneven colour, growth and continuing change rather than assuming what a mark means.

Become familiar with your own skin so that a new or evolving lesion is easier to notice. Check less visible sites such as the scalp, back, soles, between the toes and beneath nails, using a mirror or help from someone you trust.

Reduce ultraviolet exposure with shade, protective clothing and suitable broad-spectrum sunscreen. Photographs with a date can help show change, but an image or phone application cannot replace examination and dermoscopy by a trained clinician.

Book a prompt skin assessment for a new or changing mole or mark, especially one becoming asymmetric, irregular at the edge, varied in colour, larger, raised or different from your other lesions. A sore that does not heal also needs review.

Seek faster medical attention if a lesion bleeds without clear injury, ulcerates, grows rapidly or is accompanied by a new lump in a nearby lymph-node area. Do not delay because you feel too young or because the mark is small.

Ask whether the lesion needs dermoscopy, photography, removal or biopsy, and how soon each step should happen. If melanoma is diagnosed, useful questions cover tumour depth, whether further surgery or lymph-node assessment is advised, and the schedule for skin and scar checks.