Malignant melanoma or melanoma is a rare type of skin cancer that makes up for about 10% of all skin cancer cases.It is also responsible for most deaths due to skin cancer.

Melanoma can either rise from an existing mole or develop on a normal skin. Excessive exposure to sulight is thought to be the reason behind the development of the condition. The most common locations for melanomas to appear are the back, legs, arms and face. Melanoma can also spread to other parts of the body known as metastasis, which is why it is all the more dangerous and requires urgent attention.

Appearance

Melanomas are usually brown or black in color but in some it can also be red, white or skin colored. They resemble the normal moles that appear on our body but on close observation differ quite a lot from normal moles. Melanomas are often larger than 6mm in diameter and have different shades of color inside the mole.

Melanomas are also irregular in shape. The close resemblance of melanoma to the normal moles sometimes makes it difficult for an individual to decide if he has melanoma or not. But a quick brush through of the ABCD checklist will throw some light on your condition.

Watch This Educational Video on Malignant Melanoma