People who learn and perform skin self-examination with a partner are more likely to regularly engage in this cancer-screening activity according to a report in the January issue of Archives of Dermatology.

Skin self-examination can help detect skin cancer early and lead to decreased death rates from melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer.

A study conducted by June K. Robinson at Northwester University found that particpants who learned self-exam techniques with a partner were more likely to perform follow up exams and over the long term.

Performing skin exams with a partner also provides the ability to examine parts of the body a patient may not be able to adequately view alone.

So, grab your partner and learn the ABCDE’s of melanoma.