How to Perform a Monthly Self-Skin Check Step by Step

As of January 14, 2025.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in Canada. Catching it early, before it spreads, is the single biggest factor in a good outcome. A monthly self skin check at home costs nothing, takes less than 10 minutes, and gives you a baseline so any new or changing spot stands out fast.

This guide walks you through the full process: what you need, where to look, what counts as a warning sign, and when to book a dermatologist.

Why does a monthly skin self exam matter?

Short answer: Monthly checks build a mental map of your skin so you notice changes early. Melanoma detected at stage I carries a five-year survival rate above 98%, compared to roughly 30% at stage IV (National Cancer Institute, 2023). The Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA) estimates that more than 80,000 Canadians receive a skin cancer diagnosis each year. Most of those cases are basal cell and squamous cell carcinomas, which are highly curable when found early. Melanoma is less common but far more dangerous if missed. A monthly skin self exam does not replace an annual professional check, but it dramatically shortens the window between a change appearing and a clinician seeing it. Patients who examine their own skin regularly present with thinner tumors on average, according to data published in the PubMed: Efficacy of skin self-examination for early detection of melanoma.

What do you need before you start?

Short answer: A full-length mirror, a hand mirror, good lighting, and a private space are all you need. You can complete a thorough skin self exam with items already in your home. The best time to check is after a shower or bath, when your skin is clean and you are already undressed. Good lighting matters more than any special tool, because shadows hide lesions that flat overhead light reveals. Bring a comb or hair dryer to part the scalp in sections, and keep a smartphone nearby for photographing suspicious spots alongside a ruler for scale.

• A full-length mirror mounted to a wall or door
• A hand-held mirror for hard-to-see areas
• A bright lamp or natural daylight
• A comb or hair dryer to part the scalp
• A smartphone for photographing suspicious spots

What does the ABCDE rule mean for mole checks at home?

Short answer: The ABCDE rule stands for Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, Evolving and gives you five criteria to assess any mole or spot during a mole check at home. A spot meeting one or more criteria warrants a professional opinion promptly. The AAD (American Academy of Dermatology) developed this framework so patients can spot warning signs without medical training, and it remains the most widely taught self-screening tool for melanoma. Draw an imaginary line through a mole: if the two halves match, that is reassuring. Smooth borders and uniform tan or brown color under 6 mm are also positive signs. The AAD illustrates these criteria at aad.org.

• Asymmetry: The two halves of a mole do not match.
• Border: Ragged, notched, or blurred edges.
• Color: Multiple shades of brown, black, red, white, or blue in one lesion.
• Diameter: Wider than 6 mm, roughly the eraser end of a pencil.
• Evolving: Any change in size, shape, color, or texture over weeks to months.

For a deeper look at melanoma detection, see DermaDex's guide to understanding melanoma and the ABCDEs of skin cancer.

How do you perform a self skin check at home step by step?

Short answer: Start at your scalp and work downward in a fixed sequence, using both mirrors to cover every surface. A structured order prevents missed areas, and the full routine takes under 10 minutes once you learn it. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends performing this exam once a month, ideally at the same time each month so you build a reliable habit. Begin after a shower with good overhead or natural light, and photograph any spot that catches your attention alongside a ruler for scale so you have an objective record to share with a clinician.

Step 1 - Scalp and hairline

Use a comb and a hand mirror under bright light. Part the hair in sections and check the scalp skin directly. Ask a partner to check the crown if you have limited mobility.

Step 2 - Face, ears, and neck

Stand in front of the full-length mirror. Check your forehead, nose, lips, chin, and cheeks. Fold each ear forward to inspect behind it and inside the outer canal. Tilt your head back to see the underside of the jaw and the front of the neck.

Step 3 - Chest and abdomen

Look front-on at the chest. Women should lift the breasts to examine the skin underneath. Scan the abdomen down to the groin.

Step 4 - Arms and hands

Raise both arms and inspect the underarms. Check the entire arm surface, front, back, and sides. Spread the fingers and look between them and under the nails.

Step 5 - Back and buttocks

Turn your back to the full-length mirror and use the hand mirror to see the upper and lower back, including the spine and shoulder blades. Check the buttocks and the skin between them.

Step 6 - Legs and feet

Sit on a chair. Work from the upper thighs down to the ankles. Use the hand mirror for the backs of the knees and calves. Check the soles, between the toes, and under the toenails.

What should you look for during a self skin screening?

Short answer: Any new growth, any spot that bleeds or itches without injury, and any mole that has changed since last month qualifies as a reason to contact your doctor. The table below serves as a quick reference during your check, pairing each body area with the specific features to inspect and the red flags that warrant a follow-up appointment. Photograph any flagged spot against a plain background with a ruler beside it for scale. Date the photo. This gives you and your clinician an objective baseline for comparison at future visits.

Body area	What to inspect	Red flag
Scalp	Skin between hair parts	Pink or pearly bump; persistent scaly patch
Face and ears	Moles, freckles, sun spots	Asymmetric mole; lesion that bleeds or crusts
Neck and chest	Skin folds, decolletage	New dark spot; ulcerated area
Back and shoulders	Large surface area; easy to miss	Any evolving mole; irregular colored patch
Arms and hands	Dorsal hand, forearms	Rough, scaly growth (possible actinic keratosis)
Legs and feet	Shins, soles, between toes	Dark streak under a nail; non-healing sore
Genitals	Skin and mucous membrane	Persistent sore or new pigmented lesion

DermaDex lets you upload photos directly to an AI-assisted triage tool that flags lesions meeting clinical concern criteria and connects you with a certified Canadian dermatologist, useful if your wait time for a specialist appointment stretches beyond a few weeks.

When should you see a doctor after a self skin check?

Short answer: Book an appointment within two weeks for any spot meeting one or more ABCDE criteria, any lesion that bleeds spontaneously, or any new growth that has not resolved in four weeks. Self-screening is not diagnosis. A spot that worries you during a mole check at home may turn out to be a harmless seborrheic keratosis or a benign dermatofibroma, and only a trained clinician can tell. The cost of an unnecessary dermatologist visit is far lower than the cost of a delayed melanoma diagnosis. The Canadian Cancer Society recommends an annual professional full-body skin exam for adults with a personal or family history of skin cancer, significant sun exposure, or many moles. Learn more about DermaDex's AI-assisted screening tools and how they work.

Frequently asked questions about self skin screening?

Short answer: The questions below cover what a skin self exam is, what warning signs look like, and when to seek care. Each answer draws on current clinical guidance from the AAD (American Academy of Dermatology), the WHO (World Health Organization), and the Canadian Cancer Society. These answers are a starting point for your own research, and a dermatologist's in-person assessment is always the right next step when you have a specific concern about a spot on your skin.

What is a skin self-exam?

A skin self-exam is a systematic head-to-toe inspection of your own skin that you perform at home, typically once a month. You use a full-length mirror and a hand mirror to check every body surface for new, changing, or unusual spots. The goal is to detect early signs of skin cancer, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma, when treatment is most effective. You do not need any special equipment or medical training. A clear sequence, good lighting, and consistency month to month are the main requirements. If you find a spot that concerns you, photograph it and contact a doctor or dermatologist for a professional evaluation.

What are the 7 warning signs of skin cancer?

Dermatologists describe several warning signs, often summarized around ABCDE (Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, Evolving) but extending to additional features: (1) a mole that changes size, shape, or color; (2) a sore that bleeds or fails to heal within four weeks; (3) a shiny, pearly, or translucent bump on sun-exposed skin; (4) a flat, flesh-colored or brown scar-like lesion; (5) a rough, scaly red patch that may crust or bleed; (6) a dark streak running lengthwise under a fingernail or toenail; and (7) persistent itching, tenderness, or pain in a specific skin area without an obvious cause. Any single sign warrants a professional opinion.

What is 90% of melanoma cancer caused by?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the AAD, approximately 90% of melanoma cases are attributable to ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure, from both natural sunlight and artificial sources such as tanning beds. UV radiation comes in two forms relevant to skin: UVA (ultraviolet A), which penetrates deeply and drives photoaging and DNA damage, and UVB (ultraviolet B), which causes sunburn and directly damages DNA in skin cells. Repeated UV exposure accumulates over a lifetime. Protective measures, including broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher, protective clothing, and shade during peak UV hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), reduce this cumulative risk substantially.

What does stage 1 skin cancer feel like?

Early-stage skin cancer often produces no pain and no sensation at all, which is one reason regular self skin checks at home matter so much. At stage I, a melanoma typically appears as a small flat or slightly raised discolored patch, which may be tan, brown, dark brown, or multicolored. Basal cell carcinoma at an early stage often looks like a shiny pink or flesh-toned bump, or a flat scar-like lesion. Squamous cell carcinoma may present as a firm, red nodule or a rough, scaly patch. Occasionally a lesion itches or bleeds after minor contact. Because stage I skin cancer rarely causes physical discomfort, visual inspection during a monthly skin self exam is the primary detection method at this stage.

Sources

• American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). "Find skin cancer: How to perform a skin self-exam." aad.org, May 15, 2023. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/skin-cancer
• American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). "The ABCDEs of melanoma." aad.org. https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/skin-cancer/find/at-risk/abcdes
• Canadian Cancer Society. "Skin exams." cancer.ca. https://cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/find-cancer-early/get-regular-cancer-exams/skin-exams
• Swetter SM et al. "Melanoma: Overview." PubMed/NIH, 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32445526/
• World Health Organization (WHO). "Radiation: Ultraviolet (UV) radiation and skin cancer." who.int. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ultraviolet-radiation