When a melanoma is detected at an early stage and treated, a cure is all but certain. Many, if not most, melanomas can be spotted as soon as they arise - if you know what to look for and check for those signs.

Four Warning Signs
There are four basic warning signs of a melanoma, and they have been named the ABCDs so that they are easy to remember:

A stands for Asymmetry. If you were to draw a line through the middle of the melanoma, the two sides would not match. This is in contrast to a common, benign mole, which is round and symmetrical.

B stands for Border. Melanomas are frequently irregular in shape, with scalloped or notched edges. In contrast, a common harmless mole has smooth, even borders.

C stands for Color. Melanomas display a variety of shades of brown or black, as well as some unusual shades - mixed red, white, and blue. In contrast, common moles generally are a rather uniform shade of brown.

D stands for Diameter. The melanoma is usually larger than 1/4 inch (6 millimeters), the size of a pencil eraser. There are some exceptions, however.