Love the outdoors? Arizona’s sunny weather gives us more opportunities to enjoy outside activities than most parts of the country. To minimize the possibility of developing skin cancer, take steps like wearing protective clothing and sunscreen to shield your skin.

Of the different forms of skin cancer, melanoma is the deadliest. Yet even this form can be effectively treated with early detection. Here’s what to do.

Examine any spot on your skin to look for the following characteristics:

• Asymmetry – is one half of the spot different than the other half?
• Border – is the border irregular, scalloped or poorly defined?
• Color – does the spot have different shades of tan, brown or black?
• Diameter – is it the size of a pencil eraser? Usually melanomas are larger, but they can be smaller.
• Evolving – is the shape, size or color changing?

www.spotskincancer.org has a terrific graphic to help you identify these characteristics right away. Use it to protect yourself and your loved ones.