What should you know about melanoma lesions?

Melanoma can appear as a new spot or as a change within an existing mole. Some lesions are dark, while others contain tan, red, blue, white, or very little pigment. One side may not match the other, the edge may look notched, or several shades may sit together. A lesion can itch, bleed, crust, or become sore, but it can also cause no sensation.

These features are clues rather than a diagnosis. A dermatologist may compare the lesion with the rest of your skin, use magnification, and remove part or all of it for laboratory analysis. The report determines whether melanoma is present and how deeply it has entered the skin.

Check your skin in good light, including the scalp, soles, nails, and areas covered by clothing. Keep a record of a spot that looks different from your other moles, and arrange an appointment rather than repeatedly examining it without help. Do not pick, shave, or apply home treatments to a suspicious lesion. Confirmed melanoma may be managed with Surgical Excision or another form of Skin Cancer Surgery; the choice depends on the pathology report and body location.

Arrange prompt dermatology review for a spot that is evolving, stands out from your other moles, or repeatedly bleeds or crusts. Seek urgent help for heavy bleeding that will not stop with firm pressure, a rapidly spreading local infection, or new severe symptoms such as confusion, weakness, or a seizure. Those symptoms need immediate assessment and are not proof that a skin lesion has spread.

What features make this lesion concerning? Should it be photographed, monitored, or biopsied? Will the whole lesion be removed? When will the pathology result be available? If melanoma is confirmed, do I need further surgery, staging, or surveillance?