How to Do a Skin Examination

Hi I’m Natalie Otto – licensed esthetician and Corporate Educator for Repêchage.

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. As a skincare company, one of the most important practices that we recommend is protect yourself from the sun’s UV rays. Not only do they lead to skin damage in the form of wrinkles and hyperpigmentation or sun-spots, but skin cancer is a serious condition that can result from overexposure to the sun and not protecting your skin.

According to skincancer.org, each year in the US, nearly 5 million people are treated for skin cancer. Over the past three decades, more people have had skin cancer than all other cancers combined.)

It’s always important to check your skin at home, and you can do so by following the ABCDEs…

A is for Asymmetry. If the mole or birthmark is not equally rounded, you want to keep an eye on it.

B is for the Border. Does the birthmark have unusual sharp border or is poorly defined?

C is for Color. Uneven color or shades of red, blue and black should be closely monitored.

D is for Diameter. Is your mole size larger than a pencil eraser? Then it should be checked by a professional on a regular basis.

E is for Evolving. Keep an eye on any changes that take place with your birthmark. Scaling or bleeding is not a good sign.

To really care for your skin and lower your risks, make sure to always protect your skin from the sun. Use daily SPF and physical sun protection like Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. Seek shade between the hours of 10am and 4pm, avoid tanning beds, and of course have an annual dermatologist visit to so a professional can give your skin a thorough examination.