5 Spots Melanoma Skin Cancer Hides

Are you vigilant about doing skin cancer self-checks? If you aren’t, you should be.

In 2025, an estimated 104,900 Americans, including 2,300 in Indiana and 4,220 in Illinois, are expected to be diagnosed with melanoma cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. 

What Is Melanoma?

Melanoma skin cancer, sometimes called malignant melanoma, is one of the three main types of skin cancer but is often considered the deadliest type of skin cancer since it’s the one most likely to spread to other organs.

Melanoma is not the most prevalent types of skin cancer, but it is the most dangerous type.

Melanoma accounts for just two percent of skin cancer cases but claims up to 13,000 American lives annually, according to the American Cancer Society. It develops in the cells that produce melanin, the pigment that gives your skin its color.

The good news is skin cancer is one of the easiest cancers to detect early – so long as you commit to routine self-exams. Early detection is key: According to the American Cancer Society, patients whose melanoma is detected early have a 94% chance of five-year survival.

Where Can Melanoma Develop?

Melanoma can develop anywhere on the skin. Men often get it between the shoulders and the hips. They may also get it on their head or neck.

Women often get it on their arms and lower legs.

Sometimes melanoma may occur even on areas of the skin that are never exposed to sunlight. While it's known as a "skin" cancer, melanoma also can be found in the eyes or the lining of some internal organs. Melanoma may even occur in the eye, under a fingernail or toenail, or n the nose and sinuses.

"Melanomas can occur on almost any area of the body, including areas that don't get much sun exposure, such as the soles of your feet, palms of your hands and fingernail beds," said Juliana Meyer, MD, melanoma surgeon with Franciscan Physician Network and director of the Melanoma Clinic at Franciscan Health Cancer Center in Indianapolis. "Melanomas are usually black or brown in color but can be pink, red or purple."

You may be able to spot skin cancer early when it's easier to treat by doing a regular skin self-exam.

What Are Melanoma Symptoms?

The first symptom of melanoma is often a change in a mole, or the appearance of a new mole.

ABCDE Rule For Moles

These ABCDE rule can help you tell a normal mole from one that might be melanoma. The ABCDE rule for skin cancer is:

• Asymmetry. One half of the mole does not match the other half.
• Border irregularity. The edges of the mole are ragged or irregular.
• Color. The mole has different colors in it. It may be tan, brown, black, red, or other colors. Or it may have areas that appear to have lost color.
• Diameter. The mole is bigger than 6 millimeters across, about the size of a pencil eraser. But some melanomas can be smaller.
• Evolving. A mole changes in size, shape, or color.

Early detection of melanoma or skin cancer is important for survival. If you notice that any of these apply to your skin, please contact your primary care physician or dermatologist to get professionally screened. Your doctor can diagnose melanoma with an exam and test to examine suspicious moles or growths.

Other Symptoms of Melanoma

Other signs and symptoms that may be melanoma include:

• A mole that itches or is sore.
• A mole that oozes, bleeds, or becomes crusty.
• A mole that looks different from your other moles.
• A sore that doesn't heal.
• A mole or sore becomes red or swells at its edges or beyond.

Become familiar with the way your moles look so you will know if they're changing. Take note of any new moles that appear on your skin. Self-monitoring of moles and other markings on the skin helps with detecting melanoma and other skin cancers early.

How Often Should I Check For Melanoma Symptoms?

Make it a point to check your body at least monthly for melanoma and other skin cancer symptoms, including new or unusual moles, bumps, warts or red patches. Two methods can help you determine whether a mole or bump might be problematic, Dr. Meyer said.

First, try the “ugly duckling” test. When you look at your moles and freckles, does one look more odd or uglier than the rest?

Second, check for the “ABCDE Rule”:

• A for asymmetry. Does the spot have a mismatched or odd shape?
• B for border. Does it have an irregular or jagged border?
• C for color. Is the color uniform or does it contain multiple colors (e.g. gray, black, purple, blue)? Or, has any portion of the spot lost color?
• D is for diameter. Has it grown or changed in size? Or, is it bigger than the size of a pencil eraser?
• E is for evolving. Has a mole changed in any way (including size, shape, color or starting to itch or bleed)?

If you notice a troubling spot, make an appointment with your primary care doctor or a dermatologist.

Where Might I Find Signs Of Melanoma Or Skin Cancer?

Melanoma frequently appears on women’s extremities (think: arms and legs), and on the torso for men, reports Dr. Meyer. But, it's important to regularly check your entire body because melanoma can lurk in overlooked areas. Five surprising spots melanoma or skin cancer may be hiding are:

1. Around the edges of the scalp and underneath the hair

It's easy to miss covering your scalp or hairline with sunscreen, but melanoma can happen there, too. In fact, the National Institute of Health has found that a rare form of skin cancer may sometimes start with cancer-causing mutations in hair follicle stem cells.

2. On or near the ear

Your head, including your ears, gets more sun exposure than other parts of your body. This causes UV damage to your skin cells. And any time you have a sunburn or blisters, your risk of developing skin cancer increases even more.

3. Underneath fingernails and toenails

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) points out that skin cancer -- including melanoma, the deadliest type -- can develop under and around the fingernails and toenails. Though it's rare, it's more common in older people with darker skin.

Risk factors include personal or family history of melanoma or nail trauma.

Signs of possible melanoma in your nails or nail bed include:

• Dark streaks. They may look like a brown or black band. They're often on the thumb or big toe, but can develop on any nail. Nails might also have a band of color, which can be wide and irregular or dark and narrow.
• Dark skin next to the nail. When the skin around nails is darker, it could be a sign of advanced melanoma.
• Nail lifting from fingers or toes. The nail begins to separate from the nail bed and the white edge at the top will look longer as the nail lifts.
• Splitting. Watch for nails that split down the middle.
• A bump or nodule under your nails.

4. On the soles of the feet

Acral melanoma, a rare form of melanoma, may appear as a dark, irregular areas on the palms or soles of the feet.

5. In the eye

Occular melanoma, or melanoma in the eye, may appear as a dark spot in iris, the colored part of the eye.

Identify Melanoma Early

While skin cancer self-exams are important, you should also schedule routine check-ups with a dermatologist, especially if you are at high risk for developing skin cancer.

“Your best defense is identifying melanoma early, when it’s easier to treat,” Dr. Meyer said.

HealthDay News contributed information to this article.