This month we asked the non-trivial question, what are the signs that you need to see your healthcare provider about your moles? To quote from our source:
See your healthcare provider if your moles hurt, itch, ooze, bleed, thicken, become crusty, or show other changes. Also call your healthcare provider if your moles show any of these signs of melanoma:
- A change in size, shape, color, or height
- The sides don’t match (asymmetry)
- Ragged, notched, or blurred borders
- Different colors in the same mole
- Size is larger than 5 mm or 6 mm in diameter (the size of a pencil eraser)
- Different look than the other moles around it
- It starts to itch
- It bleeds or oozes
The question, and answer, were found in Krames Online HealthSheets. The HealthSheets provide consumer-friendly health education materials written for patients on diagnosis, treatment options, surgeries and procedures, wellness and safety and on-going self-care strategies. Also available in Spanish. Find it on the library’s Research & Homework page under “K” and access it with your library card.
