As a massage therapist, I often discover moles that do not look the same as others on my clients.  My standards of practice are to point out the abnormality, and I wanted to share with you information you can use during your own self evaluation. Although moles that are exposed to the sun more often, like those on the arms, legs, face and neck, are the ones that tend to turn cancerous, that doesn't rule out those located elsewhere.

• Asymmetry - one half of the mole doesn't match the other half.
• Border - it's edges are ragged, blurred or irregular
• Color - the mole isn't all one color or has strange coloration.  Black, blue, red or white discoloration are common indicators of melanoma.
• Diameter - larger than the eraser of a pencil is the rule for getting the mole looked at.

Other things to get checked are when the mole bleeds, oozes, itches, appears scaly or becomes tender or painful.  Of course, not every symptom means that cancer has developed.  It's always better to get these things checked "Just In Case".