Aishwarya Vaidya
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Written By: Aishwarya Vaidya | Published : September 9, 2018 2:31 PM IST
All you need to know about melanoma. © Shutterstock
When pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) mutate and become cancerous it can lead to melanoma. Though, the cells which pigment are mostly found in skin, there are chances of melanoma occurring in the eyes (ocular melanoma) and other parts of the body. If you have a darker skin you will rarely suffer from it. It can affect any part of your body. But, mostly it is seen in the chest or back. In women, it can commonly be seen in the legs, neck and face. You can suffer from it if you are under the age of 40. Also, compared to men, women usually get it. You may suffer from melanoma if you have a high number of moles, you develop freckles after sun exposure if you have red or light-coloured hair, personal history of melanoma, if you have opted for organ transplantation, sun spots, age spots, due to atypical moles.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) around 60,000 early deaths occur due to excessive exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation and an estimated 48,000 of these deaths caused due to malignant melanoma.
Watch of for these symptoms- Be alert and see if the colour, shape and size of your mole has changed if your skin sore doesn't heal, if your skin sore becomes painful and bleeds if you spot a lump which can also bleed.
Just consult your doctor immediately who will suggest an appropriate treatment. you may be asked to opt for a surgery or chemotherapy and so on depending upon the cause. The treatment may vary from person to person. Also, there are few preventive measures you can follow.
You should not expose yourself to sun's harsh ultraviolet rays.
Avoid sunburn.
You should apply sunscreen as advised by your expert.
Wear appropriate clothing which can protect you from the UV rays of the sun.
You should avoid stepping out during highest sun intensity.
