🔍 Changing Mole? Horizon Dermatology Urges Melanoma Checks in Soddy-Daisy, TN

🌄 For readers across the Dunlap area and the Sequatchie Valley, Soddy-Daisy is a Hamilton County city north of Chattanooga, part of the Chattanooga metro rather than the valley floor. Skin checks are a practical habit for families in every corner of the region, and this educational post from Horizon Dermatology And Skin Surgery Center focuses on one warning sign to watch for.

👀 The Mole That Is Changing

Horizon Dermatology And Skin Surgery Center shared a social media post that centers on a simple message: a mole that is changing is the one to get checked. According to the post, melanoma can begin in a mole a person already has, or it can appear as a brand-new spot on the skin.

📋 Using the ABCDEs

The post walks readers through the ABCDEs, a checklist for spotting possible warning signs:

• 🔹 A · Asymmetry
• 🔹 B · Border that is uneven
• 🔹 C · Color: more than one color
• 🔹 D · Diameter bigger than a pencil eraser (about 6 mm), or dark
• 🔹 E · Evolving: any change in size, shape, or color

⚠️ Other Signs to Watch For

The post also notes that a spot that itches or bleeds deserves attention, as does an “ugly duckling,” meaning a spot that looks different from the others on a person’s skin. It emphasizes that not every melanoma is dark. Some appear pink, red, or as a firm, raised bump. On darker skin, the post says melanoma often shows up on the palms or soles, or as a dark line under a nail.

🧭 Who May Be at Higher Risk

According to the post, higher risk factors include sunburns, tanning bed use, having many moles, and family history of the disease.

🩺 What Residents Should Know

The post makes clear that photos cannot diagnose skin cancer. A skin exam, and a biopsy when needed, can. The message to anyone who notices a spot like the ones described is to get it checked as soon as possible. 💡

Horizon Dermatology lists locations in Soddy-Daisy, TN; Cleveland, TN; and Fort Oglethorpe, GA, with phone numbers for each office. The post directs readers to book through the practice’s website, horizondermatologytn.com, or by phone at (423) 712-9301 for Soddy-Daisy.

📣 About This Post

The graphic accompanying the post is labeled “3/5” in a series and includes a clinical educational image credited to the National Cancer Institute as public domain. The post states that it is educational only and not medical advice, that the narration is an AI-generated voice, and that the clinical photos are licensed educational images rather than images of the practice’s patients. ✨

Readers who have questions about a specific spot should contact a qualified healthcare provider for an evaluation.