While most of us here in Southern California are accustomed to keeping watch for moles that could be cancerous, it’s a good idea to have a “full body scan” once a year by an expert. Not to mention, in talking with my clients every day about these types of things, I’ve learned that time and time again people were surprised that certain spots turned up cancerous when checked by a doctor.

I just had my annual scan done at Dr. Sikorski’s office in Laguna Niguel (www.drsikorski.com), and after finding a suspicious mole on my face that we biopsied and a few pre-cancerous spots that needed to be frozen with liquid nitrogen, I’ve made a commitment to incorporating annual body scans into my health and wellness routine. And I think November is a perfect time to do this, since it’s just after our sunny season.

Here’s an overview of the ABCD’s of checking moles that could be cancerous:

• Asymmetry: one half of a mole doesn’t match the other
• Border Irregularity: the edges are ragged, notched or blurred
• Color: varies from one area to another (shades of tan/brown/black/white/red/blue)
• Diameter: bigger than 6mm (about the size of a pencil eraser)

Kimberly Armstrong is a Permanent Makeup Artist & Educator who has been designing natural-looking Permanent Cosmetic procedures for almost a decade. If you’re interested in Beautiful Brows, Smudge-Free Eyeliner or Luscious Lips, be sure to check out www.beautymarksbykim.com or call  949-466-0080  for more information.