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Booking your melanoma treatment online has always been challenging! With just a few clicks, you can connect with a specialist to discuss your concerns and take proactive steps to protect your skin. Start your consultation today!

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Expert Melanoma Care

Our online melanoma treatment service offers personalised care plans to suit your needs. From early diagnosis to advanced treatment guidance, we’ll help you safeguard your health—all without leaving home.

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Ongoing Support

Facing melanoma can be overwhelming, but you’re not alone. Our online service provides continuous support, expert advice, and follow-ups to ensure you stay informed and confident throughout your skin health journey.

Medically Reviewed

By

Chrysoula I. Liakou

MD, PhD, Internal Medicine Specialist and
Cancer Immunology Researcher.

What Is Melanoma?

Melanoma is a severe type of skin cancer that develops in pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. These cells create melanin, the pigment that gives your skin its colour. While melanoma is less common than other skin cancers, it is more dangerous because it can grow quickly and spread to different parts of the body if not treated early.

 

Melanoma often occurs on skin overexposed to the sun, such as the chest, back, legs, neck, or face. However, it can also appear in less exposed areas, like the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, under the nails, or even inside the eye (ocular melanoma).

 

Some key risk factors for melanoma include having fair skin, light hair, a family history of skin cancer, or frequent sunburns. About 30% of melanomas start in existing moles, but most begin as new spots on normal skin. This makes it essential to regularly check your skin for changes like a new growth, an irregular mole, or a place growing, itching, or bleeding.

 

Melanoma is highly curable if caught early, with a 99% survival rate when treated in its earliest stages. Protecting your skin from sun exposure and monitoring changes are vital to reducing your risk and catching melanoma early.

Melanoma Symptoms

Melanoma can be difficult to detect in its early stages, so it’s essential to regularly check your skin for any changes. While melanoma often has no symptoms initially, the most common warning sign is a change in an existing mole or the appearance of a new spot.

Common Signs Of Melanoma

  • Changes In Colour: A mole may develop uneven colours, become blotchy, or show shades of brown, black, grey, red, or white.

  • Shape Or Border Changes: Moles with irregular or uneven edges and asymmetrical shapes could be a warning sign.

  • Size Increase: A mole may grow more prominent, typically bigger than 6 mm (the size of a pencil eraser).

  • Evolving Appearance: A mole that changes in size, shape, colour, or texture over time.

  • Itching Or Bleeding: Any mole or spot that becomes itchy, tender, starts to bleed, or develops a crusty surface.

  • Unusual Spots: Look for firm lumps, shiny or waxy spots, or flat, scaly patches on your skin.

Other Symptoms

  • Dark spots under nails or on the lining of the mouth, vagina, or anus.

  • A sore that doesn’t heal or a spot that looks different from others (sometimes called the "ugly duckling" sign).

New moles or spots are common during childhood, adolescence, and pregnancy. However, adults who notice new or changing moles should see a doctor immediately. Early detection is crucial, as melanoma is highly treatable when caught early.

Melanoma Stages

Melanoma is classified into five stages, from 0 to 4, based on its depth and how far it has spread. Here’s an overview:

  • Stage 0 (Melanoma In Situ): The cancer is confined to the top layer of skin (epidermis) and hasn’t spread deeper.

  • Stage 1: The melanoma is up to 2 mm thick. It hasn’t spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body. It may or may not have ulceration (an open sore).

  • Stage 2: The melanoma is at least 1 mm thick and can be thicker than 4 mm. It hasn’t spread to lymph nodes or other areas but is considered a higher risk. Ulceration may or may not be present.

  • Stage 3: The cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes or surrounding skin tissue. The original tumor may be any thickness, with or without ulceration. It might also involve small secondary tumors (satellite tumors) near the primary site.

  • Stage 4: The melanoma has spread to distant lymph nodes, organs, or other parts of the body, such as the lungs, liver, or brain.

The earlier melanoma is detected, the more effective treatment can be. Advanced stages are more complex to treat, making early detection crucial for better outcomes.

Melanoma Causes

Some common causes of Melanoma are:

 

  • Too much exposure to UV radiation from the sun or tanning beds.

  • Sunburns, especially blistering ones during childhood.

  • Fair skin, light or red hair, and light-coloured eyes.

  • Skin that burns quickly or freckles often.

  • Having many moles or unusual moles.

  • A family history of melanoma or skin cancer.

  • A personal history of melanoma or other skin cancers.

  • A weakened immune system, such as after an organ transplant.

  • Living in places with high UV exposure, like near the equator or at high altitudes.

  • Using tanning beds, which emit harmful UV rays.

Melanoma Treatment

Melanoma treatment depends on its stage and your overall health. Early-stage melanomas are often treated successfully with surgery, while advanced stages may require additional therapies.

Main Treatment Options

  • Surgery: Surgery is the most common treatment for melanoma. It involves removing the cancerous lesion and a margin of healthy skin around it. This ensures no cancer cells are left behind. In the early stages, this can often be done in a dermatologist’s office under local anaesthesia.

  • Lymphadenectomy: If the melanoma has spread to nearby lymph nodes, these may be surgically removed to prevent further spread.

  • Metastasectomy: For advanced melanoma that has spread to other organs, small cancerous growths may be removed surgically.

Other Treatment Options For Advanced Melanoma

  • Targeted Therapy: This treatment uses drugs to attack specific molecules in melanoma without harming healthy cells.

  • Immunotherapy: This approach boosts your immune system to recognise and fight melanoma cells more effectively.

  • Radiation Therapy: High-energy rays shrink tumors and kill cancer cells.

  • Chemotherapy: Medications are used to kill cancer cells, particularly in cases where the melanoma has spread to distant organs.

Some cases may involve skin grafts if large areas of skin are removed during surgery. Additionally, patients may be offered clinical trials to test new and innovative treatments.

Timely treatment is critical for improving outcomes, so it’s essential to consult your doctor and follow their recommended plan.

Melanoma Prevention

Melanoma can be dangerous, but you can lower your risk by protecting your skin. Here are some simple tips:

  • Stay Out Of Strong Sunlight

    Avoid the sun when it’s strongest, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Stay in the shade or wear a hat, sunglasses, and long-sleeved clothing if you're outside.

  • Always Use Sunscreen

    Use sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher daily, even if it’s cloudy. Reapply it every two hours or after swimming or sweating.

  • Avoid Tanning Beds

    Tanning beds are not safe. They give off harmful UV rays that can increase your risk of melanoma. If you want a tan, try self-tanning lotions instead.

  • Check Your Skin Regularly

    Look at your skin every month for any new spots or changes to moles. Remember the "ABCDE" rule to check for warning signs:

    • A: Asymmetry – one half of the mole doesn’t match the other.

    • B: Border – the edges are uneven.

    • C: Color – the mole has different colours.

    • D: Diameter – larger than 6 mm (like a pencil eraser).

    • E: Evolving – it changes over time.

  • Visit A Skin Doctor

    See a dermatologist annually, especially if you have fair skin, lots of moles, or a family history of melanoma.

  • Protect Kids’ Skin

    Teach children to use sunscreen and wear hats or long clothes when outside. Protecting their skin now can lower their risk later in life.

These simple steps can help you keep your skin safe and lower your risk of melanoma. Prevention and early detection are the best ways to stay healthy! Mobi Doctor can help you stay on top of your skin health with expert melanoma advice and care. Book an online consultation for personalised prevention tips, early detection guidance, or treatment plans.

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