Here’s another reason to get close to someone you love. New research from Northwestern and Pennsylvania State Universities suggests that couples who do skin self-exams together have a better chance of catching skin cancers earlier, when they are less disfiguring and more readily curable. The study found that when people learn to work as a couple, they take the exams more seriously, performing them more carefully than individuals who learn to do the exams alone.

Confidence Counts

The researchers trained 130 individuals to perform skin selfexaminations either alone or with their cohabiting partners. The participants were taught both how to do the exam properly and what to look for — especially the ABCDE warning signs of melanoma: Asymmetry; Border irregularity, Color variegation, Diameter greater than 6 mm (1/4”), and Evolution or change in a mole.

The couples not only did the exams more often, but felt more confident in their ability to check their skin completely. And more couples than individuals said they would continue to check their skin in the future. “Greater scrutiny, frequency, and consistency in doing self-exams gives people a better chance of catching lesions either when they are still precursors to melanoma or before they become invasive melanomas,” notes study leader June K. Robinson, MD. Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, she noted, is almost always curable when found in its earliest stages. “Effective monthly head-to-toe skin self-exams could conceivably spell the difference between life and death.”

The researchers noted that half of all melanomas are discovered by patients themselves, confirming the importance of self-examination in early detection. Having a partner help with the exam can make it easier to remember to check the skin regularly as well as easier to check areas such as the scalp and back, which are difficult to see alone.

After the first few run-throughs, self-examination should take no more than 10 minutes — a small investment once a month in what could be lifesaving.

While a monthly self-exam shouldn’t replace an annual total-body skin examination performed by a physician, it offers the best chance of detecting the early warning signs of the three most common skin cancers: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. If you notice any change in an existing mole or discover a new one that looks suspicious, see a physician immediately.

To find out more about how to perform a self-exam or spot a skin cancer, visit www.skincancer.org.

What You’ll Need: a bright light; a full-length mirror; a hand mirror; two chairs or stools, and a blow-dryer.

• Examine head and face; especially nose, lips, mouth and ears (front and back).
• Check hands, including fingernails. In a full-length mirror, examine elbows, arms and underarms.
• Examine neck, chest and torso. Women: Check under breasts. nWith back to mirror, use hand mirror to inspect back of neck, shoulders, upper arms, back, buttocks and legs.
• Sitting down, check legs and feet, including soles, heels and nails. Use hand mirror to examine genitals.