What should you know about melanoma oct?

Melanoma may show change in size, shape, colour, or surface. It can itch, bleed, crust, or become sore, although some melanomas cause little discomfort. Lesions may occur on the face, trunk, limbs, scalp, palms, soles, or around a nail. A clinician considers the whole pattern and your history rather than relying on one visual rule. Many changing marks have non-cancerous explanations, so examination is the route to a useful answer.

Look at your skin in good light, using a mirror or help for the scalp and back. Keep a dated photograph of a mark that needs observation, but do not postpone an appointment if it continues to change. Use shade, protective clothing, and sunscreen, and avoid tanning devices. At assessment, a clinician may examine the lesion with magnification and recommend surgical excision or another biopsy when the appearance warrants tissue diagnosis.

Book a prompt review for a new or changing pigmented mark, pigment under a nail, a sore that does not heal, or repeated bleeding from a lesion. Seek urgent care for bleeding that cannot be controlled, sudden severe symptoms, or signs of infection after a biopsy. A concerning mark does not by itself establish melanoma, but it should be assessed rather than managed with home creams or cosmetic cover.

Ask whether the lesion can be monitored safely, what biopsy method is proposed, how results will be communicated, and what the report means. If melanoma is found, ask whether the margins are clear, whether lymph-node assessment is needed, and how follow-up will be organised.