Home Skin Exam

Suggestions for a Skin Exam: The best time to perform a skin exam is after a shower or bath. You should check your skin in a room with plenty of light, and you should use a full-length mirror and a handheld mirror for this skin exam. Begin by learning where your birthmarks, moles, and other marks are and their usual look and feel.

Check for anything new, such as:

• A new mole that looks different from your other moles
• A new red or darker – colored flaky patch that may be a little raised
• A new flesh – colored firm bump
• A change in the size, shape, color, or feel of a mole
• A sore that does not heal

Check yourself from head to toe including:

1. Your back, scalp, genital area, and between your buttocks.
2. Your face, neck, ears, and scalp. You may want to use a comb or a blow dryer to move your hair so that you can see better. You also may want to have a relative or friend check through your hair. It may be hard to check your scalp by yourself.
3. The front and back of your body in the mirror. Then raise your arms and look at your left and right sides.
4. Bend your elbows. Look carefully at your fingernails, palms, forearms (including the undersides), and upper arms.
5. The back, front, and sides of your legs.
6. Your feet, including your toenails, your soles, and the spaces between your toes.

By doing a skin exam regularly, you will learn what is normal for you. It may be helpful to record the dates of your skin exams and to write notes about the way your skin looks. If your doctor has taken photos of your skin, you can compare your skin to the photos to help check for changes. If you find anything unusual, talk with your doctor as soon as possible.