Can a Punch Biopsy of Melanoma Cause Metastasis?
Are you wondering if a punch biopsy of a melanoma can cause it to spread – metastasize – to other areas of the body such as the liver, lungs and brain? […]
Why Does Melanoma Sometimes Turn a Mole Purple?
Ever see images of melanoma and wonder why some of the lesions have purple areas? Perhaps you’ve seen photos in which the entire melanoma was purple. […]
Can a Skin Cyst Ever Turn into a Melanoma?
Nodular Melanoma If you’re wondering if a skin cyst can ever turn into a melanoma, this is a very fair question. […]
How Ugly Can a Tiny Melanoma Look?
Tiny melanoma, 1.6 mm. Source: Dermatol Pract Concept. 2013 Apr. Copyright ©2013 Pellizzari et al. Articles and pamphlets refer to melanoma as the “ugly duckling” or “ugly mole.” But how “ugly” or “different” [...]
Can a Melanoma Survivor Live 30 Years?
If you’ve been diagnosed with stage IV or even stage III melanoma, you’ll likely be wondering if you’ll be alive 30 years from now if you’re middle age or younger. “In general, survival rate statistics [...]
Melanoma: Blistering Sunburn & Family History Biggest Risks
A dermatologist answers the questions you have about melanoma including appearance and vaccines. I asked Ellen S. Marmur, MD, Chief, Division of Dermatologic & Cosmetic Surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, the following [...]
Does Melanoma Risk Disappear After a Certain Age?
Can you be too old to get melanoma? Is it true that if you have never gotten melanoma by a certain age…you’ll probably never get it? If this is true, how is it that advancing [...]
Do Blacks with Freckles Have Higher Melanoma Risk?
Do freckles raise the risk of melanoma in a black person? Maybe you already know that melanoma risk in blacks, overall, is far lower than in whites or Hispanics, and perhaps you already know that [...]
How Much Does an Adult Sunburn Raise Risk of Melanoma?
You've heard that severe childhood sunburns raise melanoma risk, but what if you had no childhood sunburns, but got them as an adult? Don't think for a moment that the absence of a sunburn during [...]
Are Teens Really at Risk for Skin Cancer from Tanning Beds?
Teens who use tanning beds increase their risk of deadly melanoma skin cancer risk. More and more teens are using tanning beds, such as in about a million visits daily in the U.S. Using a [...]
Melanoma Risk with Fair Skin, Brown Eyes vs. Blue Eyes
Find out if there’s a difference in melanoma risk in someone with fair skin and brown eyes vs. fair skin and blue. Lists of melanoma risk factors often include “fair/light skin and blue eyes.” Sometimes, [...]
Melanoma Risk in Blondes Who Tan vs. Always Burn
Does melanoma risk differ in blondes who always tan and blondes who always burn? If you’ve heard that blonde hair is a risk factor for melanoma, perhaps you’ve wondered about olive skinned people who have [...]
Is Blonde Hair a Melanoma Risk in a Biracial Person?
Blonde hair (which usually goes with fair skin) is a melanoma risk factor, but what about for biracial people with olive or caramel skin? How often have you read that “blonde hair and blue eyes” [...]
Are Many Moles on Dark Skin Still a Melanoma Risk?
You may know that having many moles is a melanoma risk factor, but is this still a risk if you have a dark complexion? Have you ever seen a person with a dark complexion and [...]