Australia has the highest incidence of melanoma in the world. A big part of the problem is because people don’t get their skin checked often.
AUSTRALIA
Early detection of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers is critical and could save your life. Please click on the links below to find your nearest dermatologists or skin cancer clinic.
Find your nearest
Skin Cancer Clinic
Find your nearest
Dermatologist here
How to get a check-up?
We recommend you visit your local GP and ask for a referral to see either a Dermatologist or qualified Skin doctor in your area.
ABCDE Rule of melanoma
Checking your skin for any changes can help identify melanoma in its earliest stages. This, in turn, can increase your chance for timely successful treatment.
The ABCDE Rule of melanoma is not meant to be a tool for diagnosis but used by some to differentiate between a problem growth that may need further investigation and a simple, everyday blemish.
Real Stories: Why Getting a Skin Check Could Save Your Life
We often hear from people who discovered melanoma or other forms of skin cancer during a routine skin check or from other people noticing spots they might never have noticed on their own.
These stories are a powerful reminder of why regular screenings are so vital. Catching skin cancer early can make all the difference in treatment and outcomes. Many lives have been saved simply because someone took the time to get checked.
Don’t leave it to chance—book your skin check today.
The ABCDE Rule is as follows
aBCDE
A for Asymmetry
A
Normal moles or freckles are typically symmetrical. If you were to draw a line through the centre, you would have two symmetrical halves. In cases of skin cancer, spots will not look the same on both sides. (Shape alone doesn’t suggest a malignancy, since some birthmarks will be irregular in shape, but is certainly one of the features healthcare providers look for when identifying skin cancers.)
B for Border
B
Moles, spots, or “beauty marks" are typically round and of no cause for concern. Those with a changing blurry and/or jagged edge can be a sign of a cancerous or pre-cancerous growth.
C for Colour
C
A mole that has more than one colour should be considered suspicious. Normal moles and spots, by contrast, are usually one colour. Colour changes can include the darkening of a spot or part of a spot or a lightening in certain parts of the growth.
D for Diameter
D
If a growth is larger than a pencil eraser (6mm or 1/4 inch ), and growing, checking by a healthcare provider is advised. This includes areas of skin that do not have any other abnormalities in terms of colour, border, or asymmetry. This is not to suggest that smaller growths don't warrant investigation — including skin tags (acrochordons) — but those over 6mm or 1/4 inch will always be of particular concern.
E for Elevation
E
Elevation means that the mole or growth is growing in a raised manner and may have an uneven surface. It is both the irregularity of the surface and changes in size that suggest further care may be needed, particularly if the growth is different from any other blemish on the body.