Skin cancer & mole guides

Is My Mole Cancerous? A Dermatologist-Based Checklist

Worried about a mole? Use this evidence-based checklist to evaluate your mole us...

I Damaged My Mole

Accidentally scratched off, cut, or damaged a mole? Step-by-step first aid, when...

Injured Mole Recovery

Scratched or cut a mole? Follow this day-by-day recovery timeline. Learn what is...

Itchy Mole

Your mole itches and you are worried. Learn the common causes of itchy moles, wh...

Bleeding Mole

Your mole is bleeding. Learn whether a bleeding mole is dangerous, the key diffe...

My Mole Is Changing

Your mole changed color, got bigger, or looks different. Learn which changes are...

New Mole After 30

A new mole appeared after age 30 and you are concerned. Learn which new moles ar...

What Does Skin Cancer Look Like? A Visual Guide

What does skin cancer look like on your skin? Learn to recognize melanoma, basal...

Sunscreen Guide

Everything you need to know about sunscreen: SPF numbers, how much to apply, how...

UV Index Explained

What does UV index 5, 8, or 11 mean? Learn how to read the UV index, when sun is...

Sun Safety for Children

Children's skin is more vulnerable to UV damage. Learn age-appropriate sun prote...

Tanning Beds and Skin Cancer

Tanning beds triple melanoma risk and cause 400,000+ skin cancers per year in th...

Vitamin D and Skin Cancer

Can you get enough vitamin D without risking skin cancer? Learn how much sun you...

Sun Damage, Age Spots & Sun Spots

Sun spots, age spots, liver spots — are they dangerous? Learn to distinguish ben...

Ozone Layer & Skin Cancer

Stratospheric ozone is recovering — but slowly, unevenly, and not everywhere. He...

Skin Cancer in Dark Skin

Skin cancer is less common in dark skin but more deadly because it is diagnosed ...

Acral Melanoma

Acral melanoma occurs on palms, soles, and under nails. It is the most common me...

Skin Cancer in Hispanic and Latino Communities

Hispanic and Latino patients face unique skin cancer challenges. Late diagnosis ...

Skin Cancer Detection Disparities

Not everyone has equal access to skin cancer detection. Racial, economic, and ge...

Skin Cancer After Organ Transplant

Organ transplant recipients face up to 100x higher risk of skin cancer due to im...

Medications That Increase Skin Cancer Risk

Some medications make your skin more vulnerable to UV damage or suppress your im...

Family History of Melanoma

A parent or sibling had melanoma? Your risk is 2-3x higher. Learn when to start ...

50+ Moles

Having 50+ moles increases melanoma risk 4-5x. Learn the efficient monitoring st...

Skin Biopsy

Your dermatologist recommended a biopsy. Learn what happens during the procedure...

Mohs Surgery

Mohs micrographic surgery has the highest cure rate for skin cancer (99% for pri...

Mole Removal

Thinking about getting a mole removed? Learn when removal is medically necessary...

Life After Melanoma

Diagnosed with melanoma? Life after treatment includes follow-up visits, self-ex...

How to Check Your Skin After Tanning

Used a tanning bed or spent too long in the sun? Here is how to check your skin ...

Still Tanning? How to Reduce Your Risk While Being Honest About It

Not ready to quit tanning beds? Harm reduction strategies that actually work: mo...

Mole Monitoring for Tanners

Current or former tanning bed user? This structured monitoring plan uses the sam...

Mole Mapping

Learn how to create a body mole map, track changes over time, and catch suspicio...

The Ugly Duckling Sign

The ugly duckling sign helps identify melanoma by finding the mole that looks di...

Monthly Skin Self-Exam

Learn how to perform a thorough monthly skin self-examination. Step-by-step guid...

Dermoscopy

Dermoscopy uses 10x magnification to reveal hidden structures in moles. Learn wh...

Skin Cancer Screening

What happens during a skin cancer screening? Full guide on preparation, what the...

Skin Cancer Signs

Learn the warning signs of skin cancer: suspicious spots, bumps, moles, and rash...

Types of Skin Cancer

Learn about all types of skin cancer: melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, squamous c...

Melanoma Stages Explained

Understand melanoma stages from 0 to IV. Breslow thickness, lymph node involveme...

Skin Cancer Treatment

Complete guide to skin cancer treatment: surgical excision, Mohs surgery, immuno...

Skin Cancer on Face, Nose & Scalp

Skin cancer on the face, nose, and scalp is common due to sun exposure. Learn th...

Melanoma Under Nails

A dark streak under your fingernail or toenail could be melanoma. Learn the sign...

AI Skin Cancer Detection

Can AI detect skin cancer? We review the accuracy of melanoma detection apps, th...

Best Mole Checking Apps in 2026

We reviewed the top mole checking and skin cancer screening apps for 2026. Compa...

Tick Bite or Melanoma? How to Tell the Difference

A dark spot after a tick bite can be alarming. Learn the 6 features that separat...

Spider Bite or Melanoma? How to Tell Them Apart

A spreading sore blamed on a spider bite can sometimes be skin cancer. Learn how...

Bruise or Melanoma? How to Tell the Difference

Most bruises are harmless and fade in two weeks. Learn how to tell a bruise from...

A Scab That Won't Heal

A sore or scab that keeps coming back can be basal or squamous cell carcinoma. L...

Petechiae or Skin Cancer? Understanding Blood Spots

Tiny red or purple blood spots (petechiae) are usually harmless but rarely signa...

Ingrown Hair or Skin Cancer? How to Tell Them Apart

Most bumps after shaving are ingrown hairs or cysts and resolve on their own. Le...

Cherry Angioma or Melanoma? How to Tell Them Apart

Cherry angiomas are harmless bright-red dots that are very common with age. Lear...

Seborrheic Keratosis or Melanoma? Telling Them Apart

Seborrheic keratoses are extremely common 'stuck-on' warty growths and are harml...

Actinic Keratosis vs Skin Cancer

Actinic keratosis is a rough, scaly pre-cancer that can progress to squamous cel...

Blood Blister vs Melanoma

A blood blister and a melanoma can both look like a dark spot under the skin. Le...

Wart vs Skin Cancer

Most warts are harmless, but some skin cancers (SCC, BCC, melanoma) can mimic wa...

Skin Tag or Melanoma? How to Tell the Difference

Most skin tags are harmless. But some pigmented or growing 'tags' are actually m...

Freckle or Melanoma? How to Tell Them Apart

Most dark spots on skin are harmless freckles or sun spots. Learn the 6 features...

Age Spot or Melanoma? How to Tell the Difference

Age spots and melanoma both appear as dark marks on aging skin. Learn the 6 diff...

Mole vs Seborrheic Keratosis

Seborrheic keratoses are extremely common and often confused with moles or melan...

Health Anxiety and Skin Cancer

Health anxiety about skin cancer is common — and sometimes more disabling than t...

I'm Convinced I Have Melanoma

If you are certain you have melanoma despite reassurance, the fear itself may be...

Can Dermatologists Miss Melanoma? An Honest Answer

Yes, dermatologists can miss melanoma — rarely. What the real risk is, what redu...

How Often Should You Really Check Your Moles?

Checking moles every day does not catch melanoma earlier — and it makes anxiety ...

How to Stop Googling Skin Cancer Symptoms

Constantly searching skin cancer symptoms feeds anxiety without making detection...

Anxiety Waiting for Biopsy Results

Waiting for skin biopsy results is one of the most stressful health experiences....