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.

Now that summer is over, we tend to get less careful about sun exposure and think less about the dangers of skin cancer. Regardless of the season, women over 50 should be aware of the signs of skin cancer, how to spot it and when to seek a doctor’s care and advice.

Performing a self-exam is as easy as knowing your ABC’s or more specifically, the ABCD’s of skin cancer:

* A: Asymmetry — one half is unlike the other half.

* B: Border irregular — scalloped or poorly circumscribed border.

* C: Color varies from one area to another; shades of tan and brown; black; sometimes white, red or blue.

* D: Diameter larger than the diameter of a pencil eraser.

For illustrated examples of the ABCD’s of skin cancer, visit this site