Malignant Melanoma – This a cancerous mole and is the most dangerous skin issue that dermatologists diagnose and treat. Melanoma is often an irregular shaped and colored mole that is growing and changing. Many people have heard of the ABCDEs of melanoma:
– Asymmetry
– Border irregularity
– Color variation
– Diameter greater than 6mm
– Evolving.
Another way of helping detect an abnormal mole is called the “ugly duckling sign” – a new or changing pigmented (brown) lesion that looks different from other spots on your skin. Fortunately, most of the time malignant melanoma is detected at an early stage and the survival rate is very high. Late stage melanoma is often life-threatening.

Treatment: surgical excision and Mohs Micrographic surgery