Melanocytes in our skin are the cells that produce melanin, which determines our skin, hair, and eye colors. The uncontrolled growth of these melanocytes results in a melanoma. Understanding the ways of prevention, symptoms, and treatment of melanoma will help you be prepared for it and treat it on time.

Symptoms
The first sign of melanoma is a new mole on your skin. If you already have a mole then it can change in appearance too. You can recognize the sign of melanoma by studying the moles closely. If the mole is cancerous then its borders will be ragged, it will have an asymmetrical shape, and its color will be uneven. If you want to recognize a changing or evolving mole then it is important that you are familiar with your existing ones. Another sign of melanoma is a bleeding mole, which may even itch.

If you notice any of these signs, then contact your doctor without wasting any time. They’ll conduct the necessary tests to determine whether you have melanoma.

Treatment
Learning about the prevention, symptoms, and treatment of melanoma will help you to understand this condition better. So, you can recognize the symptoms early and opt for the treatment immediately. If melanoma is diagnosed before it spreads beyond the skin surface, you can get rid of it with a rather simple surgery. An early caught melanoma has a high recovery rate. However, if melanoma starts to spread to other areas of the body, it can become harder to treat.

If the depth of the spot, where the mole is located, is more than 1 millimeter, then your doctor will perform a sentinel node biopsy. For this, he or she will use a dye to test if the melanoma has reached the lymph nodes. The doctor will remove that spot and the lymph nodes that have been dyed. They will be checked for cancer. If the test reveals that the melanoma has spread beyond the skin layer then it will require radiation and chemotherapy. Interferon is sometimes used to make the immune system stronger.

Prevention
It’s possible to prevent melanoma, but you’ll need to maintain a certain lifestyle for years. To start with, you must stop using tanning beds, as they can increase the risk of melanoma. You must use a quality sunscreen product all-year-long to protect your skin from sun exposure. The sunscreen must have at least an SPF of 30 and it should be used even on cloudy days.

Now that you understand everything about the prevention, symptoms, and treatment of melanoma, you should take the necessary steps to lower the possibility of developing this condition. Regular screening for skin cancer is also important to catch melanoma early so that the treatment can be started on time.