Is this spot worth a look?

Suggest a doctor if any one of these is true.

If none of them fits but something still bothers you or your client, suggest a doctor anyway. This list helps you notice. It can't tell you a spot is safe.

1New, different or changing

A new spot, or a spot that looks different from their other moles: the odd one out.¹²³
Changing in size, shape or color.¹⁴
Raised, firm and growing over weeks. It can be one even color, including pink or red, and often doesn't show the A to D signs below.²⁹

2How it looks

Asymmetry: one half doesn't match the other.¹
Border: ragged, scalloped or blurry edge.¹
Color: more than one color, such as tan, brown and black, or patches of white, red or blue.¹
Diameter: wider than about 6 mm, the size of a pencil eraser. Melanomas can be smaller, so a small spot isn't cleared by size.¹

3Sores, bumps and rough patches

A spot or patch that hurts, itches, bleeds, crusts or scabs for more than 4 weeks.⁵
A sore that doesn't heal, or heals and comes back.⁶⁷
A shiny bump: pink or red on lighter skin, brown or black on darker skin.⁶
A rough, scaly patch, or a growth like a wart or a small horn.⁷

4On darker skin, also check

A brown or black streak under a nail. It's easy to mistake for a bruise.⁸
A growing dark spot on a palm or sole, especially with more than one color or an uneven edge.⁸
A darker patch on a lip or inside the mouth.⁸

What to say

"I noticed a spot on your [scalp / neck / face / ear]. It might be worth having a doctor look at it."

Say what you saw and where. Don't guess what it is.

Sources

American Academy of Dermatology. What to look for: ABCDEs of melanoma.
DermNet. ABCDEFG of melanoma.
Grob JJ, Bonerandi JJ. The "ugly duckling" sign. Archives of Dermatology, 1998.
NHS. Moles: when to see a GP.
NHS. Non-melanoma skin cancer: symptoms.
American Academy of Dermatology. Basal cell carcinoma: signs and symptoms.
American Academy of Dermatology. Squamous cell carcinoma: signs and symptoms.
American Academy of Dermatology. Melanoma in people of color.
Cancer Council WA. Melanoma and keratinocyte cancer: a guide for medical practitioners.

Every line is reworded from the sources above, which were checked on 2026-10-06. This checklist has not yet been reviewed by a dermatologist. It is for noticing spots and suggesting a doctor, not for diagnosis, and it is not medical advice.