Is That Spot Changing? If Something's Changed, Get It Checked.
- Apr 3
- 2 min read
Most people assume skin cancer looks obvious - a dark, angry lesion that's impossible to miss. The reality is often quite different. Some of the most serious skin cancers start as subtle changes to an existing mole or a new spot that doesn't look particularly alarming. That's precisely what makes them dangerous.
What counts as a change worth checking?
The ABCDE guide is the most widely used framework for identifying suspicious moles and lesions:
A — Asymmetry: one half doesn't match the other
B — Border: edges that are irregular, ragged, or blurred
C — Colour: uneven colouring, or multiple shades within a single spot
D — Diameter: larger than 6mm, roughly the size of a pencil eraser
E — Evolving: any change in size, shape, colour, or sensation over time
The most important of these is E. A spot that is changing, in any way, is a spot that deserves professional assessment. This includes changes in texture, a spot that starts to itch, bleed, or crust, or simply a feeling that something looks different to how it did six months ago.
Skin cancer doesn't always announce itself
Basal cell carcinoma, the most common form of skin cancer in Australia, often presents as a small, pearly or waxy bump, a flat flesh-coloured lesion, or a scar-like area. Squamous cell carcinoma may appear as a firm red nodule or a flat lesion with a scaly surface. Neither necessarily looks frightening at first glance.
Melanoma, the most serious form, can develop within an existing mole or appear as a new dark spot. But it can also appear as a lesion that is pink, red, white, or even skin-coloured, particularly in its early stages.
The common thread is change. Skin that has looked the same for years and then begins to alter in any way is worth having assessed by a doctor with specialist training in skin cancer medicine.
Why waiting is the one thing you shouldn't do
The earlier a skin cancer is identified, the simpler and more effective the treatment. Very early melanomas are highly curable. Left undetected, the same melanoma can become significantly more complex to treat and carry a worse prognosis.
At SkinGP, an Urgent Lesion Review focuses specifically on one or two areas of concern and can often be arranged promptly. If the lesion is benign, you'll leave with reassurance and guidance. If it isn't, you'll be in exactly the right place to act quickly.
No referral required. If something has changed, call us on (03) 9969 5000 or book online.
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