When is a Freckle Not a Freckle?

When I was young I was a red-headed freckled lad.  As I grew older the red hair turned to brown, then less of it, and now it is showing a lot of grey. The freckles, however, are still there and recently I noticed what I thought was an unusual looking big freckle that was not there a few months earlier.

Who among us does not know someone that has passed away from cancer?  Long story short, I am having it checked out and with my new awareness; here is a little nonmedical, medical advice. Skin cancer, "Malignant Melanoma", is the only kind of cancer I know that you can spot the early signs early enough to do something about positively.

Here is what to look for:

The ABCDE rule describes the warning signs of melanoma:

Asymmetry (one half doesn't match the other)

Border (irregular, notched, or blurred edges)

Colour (uneven, with different shades of brown, tan, black, red, white, or blue)

Diameter (larger than 6 mm or about the size of a pencil eraser) and

Evolving (changes in size, shape, color, or new symptoms like itching or bleeding)

If you notice a mole or spot with any of these characteristics, consult a healthcare provider for evaluation.  

The survival rates are quite high if caught early enough.