The three main types of skin cancer are basal cell, squamous cell, and melanoma.

What is Melanoma?

Melanoma is not the most common form of skin cancer, but it is known as the most dangerous. Your Dermatology Associates of Northeast Georgia team is here to support you and answer any questions before a melanoma diagnosis, during treatment, and after the removal of it. We recognize that dealing with melanoma and skin cancer can be overwhelming, and we’re here to see you through your treatment.

Melanomas occur when the pigment-producing cells that give the skin color become cancerous. They often resemble moles, and some develop from moles. Most melanomas are black or brown but can also be skin-colored, pink, red, purple, blue, or white.

Facts About Melanoma

Here are some facts to know about melanoma:

• According to the American Cancer Society, over 100,640 new cases are estimated in the U.S. alone in 2024.
• Invasive melanoma accounts for about 1% of all skin cancer cases but the vast majority of skin cancer deaths. The number of deaths due to melanoma is expected to increase by 3.8% in 2024. That’s why early detection and treatment is critical for your health./li>
• Melanoma can affect all skin types and ethnicities but is most commonly diagnosed in white Americans, with an annual incidence rate of 26 (per 100,000), compared to 4 in 100,000 in Hispanics and 1 in 100,000 in African-Americans. 
• Women tend to be diagnosed with melanoma more than men before age 50. However, by age 65, men are diagnosed twice as often, and by age 80, three times more than women.
• The ACS reports the incidence of melanoma has risen rapidly over the past 30 years, with the increase mostly in men and women ages 50 and older.

At Dermatology Associates of Northeast Georgia, we remind our patients to be cautious with sun exposure, pay attention to their skin, and schedule an annual skin exam every year. Our team focuses on early detection and treatment of skin cancers, which leads to the best prognosis for our patients.

Melanoma Symptoms

In order to find a melanoma, you need to look at your skin for any lumps, bumps, or moles. The ABCDEs of melanoma detection may help you distinguish a normal mole from an atypical mole or melanoma. Melanomas can develop from a normal area of skin (skin with no moles or prior abnormal coloration) or from an existing mole or freckle.

Signs of Melanoma: The ABCDEs of Detection

(A) – Asymmetry: One half is unlike the other half.

(B) – Border: An irregular, scalloped or poorly defined border.

(C) – Color:It varies from one area to another with shades of tan, brown, or black. It can sometimes be white, red, or blue.

(D) – Diameter: While melanomas are usually greater than 6mm (the size of a pencil eraser), they can be smaller.

(E) – Evolving: A mole or skin lesion that looks different from the rest or is changing in size, shape, or color. A suddenly itchy, inflamed, bleeding, or scabby mole should also be examined.

The ABCDE rules do not apply to all melanomas. Some melanomas are perfectly symmetrical and have a light color. So, in addition to the ABCDEs, you should also use the following information to help screen for other suspicious lesions:

• Elevated: Look for a new spot that is raised above the skin’s surface.
• Firm: Look for spots that are firm to the touch, not flabby.
• Growing: Look for spots that are fast growing or continue to grow for more than two to three weeks.
• “Ugly Duckling Rule”: This rule is based on the fact that an individual’s moles will tend to look alike. If a mole doesn’t match the others (i.e., the ugly duckling), that mole is more likely to be a melanoma.

One last tip on melanoma symptoms: If you have a “bruise” on the palm of your hand or sole of your foot that does not heal, or if you have an unusual pigment around your nail, these may also be signs of melanoma, so book an appointment with your Board-Certified Dermatologist today to get it checked out.

The best way to detect melanomas and skin cancer early is to be aware of any new or changing skin growths on your skin, particularly those that look unusual. Any new lesions or a progressive change in a lesion’s appearance (size, shape, color, etc.) should be evaluated promptly by a Board-Certified Dermatologist.

Melanoma Prevention

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, many of the more than 5 million skin cancer cases diagnosed annually could be prevented by patients protecting their skin from excessive sun exposure and not using indoor tanning devices.

Some ways to protect your skin from excessive sun exposure include spending time in the shade when outdoors, wearing sunscreen daily with an SPF of 30 or higher, not getting sunburned, avoiding tanning beds, and seeing a Board-Certified Dermatologist annually for a skin exam. 

Book an appointment today if you’re due (or overdue) for your annual skin exam.

Melanoma Risk Factors

Major risk factors for melanoma include a personal or family history and atypical, large, or numerous (more than 50) moles. Heavy exposure to UV radiation from sunlight or tanning beds is also a risk factor for all types of skin cancer. 

Risk also increases for patients who are sun-sensitive, which means they sunburn easily, have natural blond or red hair color, have a history of excessive sun exposure (including sunburns), or have a history of skin cancer. 

Melanoma Treatment

The primary treatment for melanoma is excision, which is the surgical removal of the primary melanoma on the skin. The thickness of the melanoma determines the scope of the surgery needed. Most melanomas are found when they are less than 1.0 mm thick, and outpatient surgery is often the only treatment needed. 

While melanomas can be very dangerous, medical advancements in detection and treatment are making a huge impact on melanoma treatments. The latest American Cancer Society (ACS) report shows a 93% survival rate (relative five-year survival rate), compared to data from 1975-77, which showed an 82% survival rate. 

What Happens During Melanoma Skin Cancer Surgery?

During your melanoma removal, your Board-Certified Dermatologist removes the tumor, tissue found under the skin, and some surrounding healthy tissue, called a margin, so no cancerous cells remain.

Dermatology Associates of Northeast Georgia offers melanoma treatments at its convenient Northeast Georgia locations in Gainesville, Dahlonega, and Demorest.

Learn more about skin cancer here.