Irregular edges that are ragged or notched may be a suspicious sign. C is for color. Uneven or multiple colors that may vary from brown, black, and pink to red, white, and blue can signal melanoma, a type of skin cancer that can be deadly. D is for diameter. A mole may be abnormal if it is bigger than a pencil eraser.
E is for elevation.
A raised or uneven mole can be a sign of skin cancer. If a skin marking has any of the characteristics listed above, your doctor should evaluate it as soon as possible. While skin cancer can occur at any time in life, another possibility is that your spots may be related to age. Harmless, rough, waxy brown or black spots, called seborrheic keratoses, may start appearing on your skin just before midlife and become increasingly prevalent with age. No matter what has caused your spots, the best way to detect any changes in your skin is to give yourself a monthly skin self-exam and to see your health care professional regularly for a thorough skin exam.