How to Do a Skin Self-Exam

A. Make sure the room is well lit and that you have nearby a full-length mirror, a hand-held dryer, and two chairs or stools. Undress completely. B. Hold your hands with the palms face up, as shown in the drawing. Look at your palms, fingers, spaces between the fingers, and forearms. Then turn your hands over and examine the backs of your hands, fingers, spaces between your fingers, fingernails, and forearms. C. Now position yourself in front of the full-length mirror. Hold up your arms, bent at the elbows, with your palms facing you. In the mirror, look at the backs of your forearms and elbows. D. Again using the full-length mirror, observe the entire front of your body. In turn, look at your face, neck, and arms. Turn your palms to face the mirror and look at your upper arms. Then look at your chest and abdomen, pubic area, thighs and lower legs.

If you are at high risk for melanoma or other skin cancers, your healthcare provider may recommend regular skin self-examinations. Even if you are not at high risk, ask your doctor or nurse to show you how to do the exam.

The best time to do a skin self-exam is after a shower or bath. Check your skin in a room with a lot of light. Use both a full-length mirror and a hand-held mirror so that you can see your whole body. It  helps to know where your moles and birthmarks are and what they look like. It’s important to look for changes when you do the self-exam. Check all areas, including your back, scalp, and feet, and between your buttocks and your genital area. It is helpful to do the exam the same way each time so you don’t miss any part of your body.

1. Look at the front and back of your body in the mirror, then raise your arms and look at your left and right sides.

2. Bend your elbows and look at your palms, the nail bed of each finger, your forearms (including the undersides), and your upper arms.

3. Examine the back and front of your legs. Also look between your buttocks and at your genital area.

4. Sit and closely examine your feet, including the soles and the spaces between your toes. Also examine the nail bed of each toe.

   E. Still standing in front of the mirror, lift your arms over your head with the palms facing each other. Turn so that your right side is facing the mirror and look at the entire side of your body-your hands and arms, underarms, sides of your trunk, and thighs and lower legs. Then turn, and repeat the process with your left side. F. With your back toward the full-length mirror, look at your buttocks and the backs of your thighs and lower legs. G. Now pick up the hand held mirror. With your back still to the full-length mirror, examine the back of your neck, and your back and buttocks. Also examine the backs of your arms in this way. Some areas are hard to see, and you may find it helpful to ask your spouse or a friend to assist you.

5. Look at your face, neck, and scalp. You may want to use a comb or a blow dryer to move your hair so that you can better see your scalp.

If you check your skin regularly, you will start to learn what is normal for you. If you find anything unusual, see your doctor or nurse right away. Remember, the earlier skin cancer is found, the better your chances are for a cure. Also, keep in mind that not all skin changes are melanoma.

Consider Free Skin Screening

If you don’t know if the mole is irregular, or if you can’t afford to see a dermatologist or aren’t sure whether your insurance will cover the expense, the AAD provides free skin screenings at participating doctors during certain times of the year. These doctors cannot make a diagnosis, but they can tell you whether you should see a dermatologist. Visit the AAD website or call your local health department to locate a nearby doctor and find out when screenings are being performed.

Sara called to make an appointment with her doctor, her mind more at ease because a professional would be examining her soon. She flipped open her calendar and on the first of every month she wrote, “Do skin self-exam.” Hopefully, Sara’s mole is completely normal. But even if she finds another suspicious mole, her chances for catching any problems in their early stages are much higher with the help of regular skin self-exams, the AAD’s free screening program, and her doctor.

H. Use the hand-held mirror and the full-length mirror to look at your scalp. Because the scalp is difficult to examine, we suggest you also use a hand-held blow dryer turned to a cool setting to lift the hair from the scalp. While some people find it easy to hold the mirror in one hand and the dryer in the other while looking in the full-length mirror, many do not. For the scalp examination in particular, then, you might want to ask your friend or spouse to assist you. I. Sit down and prop one leg on a chair or stool in front of you as shown. Using the hand-held mirror, examine the inside of the propped up leg, beginning at the groin area and moving the mirror down the leg to your foot. Repeat the procedure for your other leg. J. Still sitting, cross one leg over the other. Use the hand-held mirror to examine the top of your foot, the toes, toenails, and spaces between the toes. Then look at the sole or bottom of your foot. Repeat the procedure for the other foot.