Atypical Fibroxanthoma vs Melanoma
How to tell the difference — key features compared side by side.
Feature
Atypical Fibroxanthoma
Melanoma
Category
Pre-cancerous
Malignant
Key feature
Low-grade tumor on severely sun-damaged skin. Typically the scalp of elderly men. Excellent prognosis with excision.
The most dangerous skin cancer - but 99% survival when caught early. Learn the ABCDE signs.
Risk factors
Severe chronic sun damage; Age over 70; Fair skin
Fair skin, light eyes, red or blond hair (Fitzpatrick types I-II); History of blistering sunburns, especially before age 18; More than 50 ordinary moles on the body
Action needed
A rapidly growing pink or red nodule on sun-damaged head or neck skin
A new mole or spot that looks different from your other moles (the ugly duckling sign)
Atypical Fibroxanthoma
Atypical fibroxanthoma is a low-grade dermal tumor on severely sun-damaged skin, most commonly the head and neck of elderly patients.
Read full guide →Melanoma
Melanoma develops in melanocytes, the cells that produce melanin and give your skin its color. While it accounts for only about 1% of skin cancers, it causes most of skin cancer deaths. The good news: when detected at stage I, the five-year survival rate exceeds 99%.
Read full guide →Does yours look more like atypical fibroxanthoma?
Quick self-check
Does this look like atypical fibroxanthoma? Answer 2 questions.
Is it a rapidly growing dome on the head or scalp?
Is surrounding skin severely sun-damaged?
Still not sure?
Our full ABCDE checker evaluates 5 clinical criteria dermatologists use.
Full ABCDE check →