Skin cancer awareness
Most skin cancers are highly treatable when found early. This guide explains the three main types, the ABCDE signs, and what to do if something changes.
Glowify can't diagnose skin cancer. Not every skin cancer follows the ABCDE pattern, and a spot that doesn't match isn't automatically harmless. Only a doctor or dermatologist can look at a spot and tell you what it is.
BCC · most common
A pearly or waxy bump, a pink or skin-colored patch, or a sore that bleeds, crusts, and doesn't heal.
Grows slowly and rarely spreads, but it can damage nearby tissue if ignored. Very treatable when found early.
SCC · second most common
A rough, scaly, or crusty patch, a wart-like growth, or an open sore that persists.
More likely than BCC to spread if untreated, especially on the ears, lips, and hands. Also highly treatable early.
Rarest of the three · most serious
A new spot, or a mole that changes in size, shape, or color, sometimes with several shades or an irregular edge.
Can spread to other organs, so early detection matters most here. It can also appear on skin with little sun exposure.
Illustrations are simple diagrams, not photos of real skin conditions, and real spots vary a lot. That's why anything new is worth having a doctor look at.
A memory aid for changes worth showing a doctor. It's a reminder to get something checked, not something you have to work out on your own.
Asymmetry
One half of the spot doesn't match the other.
Border
Edges that are irregular, ragged, notched, or blurred.
Color
More than one shade, or colors that are changing.
Diameter
Wider than about 6 mm (a pencil eraser), though some are smaller.
Evolving
Any change in size, shape, color, or new itching or bleeding.
Nodular melanoma, for example, can be symmetrical and a single color, so "doesn't match the letters" is not a reason to relax. A new, changing, bleeding, or non-healing spot is worth getting checked either way.
Melanin offers only partial protection. People with darker skin tones do get skin cancer, and it's often found later, partly because it can appear in less sun-exposed places like palms, soles, and under nails, and partly because it's less expected. That's why awareness and prompt checks matter for everyone.