Monitoring Moles for Cancer Individuals should check their moles every few months to detect changes that may indicate skin cancer. A mole should be checked by a physician if it itches, or a person becomes aware of it for no apparent reason. Warning signs of melanoma, a serious form of skin cancer resembling moles, include asymmetry, irregular border, mottled color, or a diameter bigger than a pencil eraser.
Melanomas tend to occur most often on women's legs and men's heads.
The risk is increased by severe childhood sunburns, intermittent intense sun exposure, and a family history of melanoma or large moles. They can be removed surgically and are almost always curable if caught while still thin.