🧠 What Is Melanoma?

Melanoma is the most aggressive form of skin cancer.

It begins in melanocytes — the cells that produce pigment (melanin) and give your skin its color.

While often linked to UV exposure, melanoma can develop anywhere — even in areas rarely exposed to the sun.

What makes it so dangerous?

It spreads quickly to other organs if not caught early

Survival rates drop sharply once it advances

Yet, when detected early, it’s highly treatable

📊 Fact: The 5-year survival rate for localized melanoma is over 99%—but drops to 30% if it reaches distant organs.

Early detection saves lives.

🖐️ Where Melanoma Can Appear on the Hands

Most people think melanoma only grows on the face or back.

But it can also show up on:

Location

Risk Notes

Backs of the hands

Common site due to sun exposure

Palms

Rare but serious — often missed because people don’t check here

Under the nails (subungual melanoma)

Very rare (<1% of cases), but more common in people with darker skin tones

⚠️ These areas are often overlooked during self-exams — making them especially dangerous.

🔍 How to Tell If a Spot Is Harmless or High-Risk

Not all dark spots are dangerous.

Here’s how to tell the difference:

✅ Harmless Age Spots (Solar Lentigines):

Flat, tan-to-brown patches

Uniform color and shape

Appear slowly over years

Common on sun-exposed areas like hands and face

These are just signs of aging and sun damage — not cancer.

❗ Warning Signs of Melanoma: Use the “ABCDE” Rule

Check any new or changing spot using these criteria:

Letter

Meaning

A – Asymmetry

One half doesn’t match the other

B – Border

Edges are ragged, blurred, or irregular

C – Color

Multiple shades: black, brown, red, white, blue

D – Diameter

Larger than 6mm (~pencil eraser), though some melanomas are smaller

E – Evolving

Changing in size, shape, color, or texture over weeks/months

👉 Also watch for:

A spot that itches, bleeds, or won’t heal

A black streak under a nail that widens or appears without injury

A new growth where there wasn’t one before

💡 Red Flag: Subungual melanoma often starts as a dark line under the nail — mistaken for a bruise, but doesn’t grow out with the nail.

🧪 Types of Hand Melanoma

1. Superficial Spreading Melanoma

Most common type

Grows outward before going deep

Often on backs of hands

Irregular borders, multi-colored

2. Acral Lentiginous Melanoma (ALM)

Occurs on palms, soles, and under nails

Most common melanoma in people of color

Often misdiagnosed because it’s rare and hidden

Can grow slowly — but becomes aggressive fast

This type is why everyone, regardless of skin tone, must check their hands and feet.

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself & Detect Early

✅ Do Monthly Skin Checks

Use a mirror to examine palms, fingers, and under nails

Take photos to track changes

Ask a partner to help check hard-to-see spots

✅ Wear Sun Protection

Apply SPF 30+ sunscreen to hands daily — yes, even in winter!

Wear UV-protective gloves while driving or outdoors

Reapply after washing hands

🚗 Fun fact: UVA rays penetrate glass — drivers often have more sun damage on their left hand!

✅ See a Dermatologist Annually

Get a full-body skin exam every year

Mention any changing spots immediately — don’t wait

❤️ Final Thought: Great Health Starts With Awareness

You don’t need fear to protect yourself.

Sometimes, all it takes is:

A quick glance at your hands

A moment of curiosity

And the courage to say: “I’m checking.”

Because real wellness isn’t about avoiding scary words.

It’s about paying attention — before silence becomes regret.

And when you catch something early…

You’ll know:

You didn’t just look.

You saved yourself.

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