How to perform a basic home self-exam for common skin changes and when to see a doctor
Checking your skin at home helps you notice changes early and feel more in control of your health. This short guide walks you through a simple, repeatable self-exam you can do in about 10–15 minutes every month. Follow each step methodically and note anything new, changing, or concerning so you can decide whether to book a doctor visit.
Step 1: Gather supplies and set up
Stand in a well-lit room with a full-length mirror, a hand mirror, and a chair. Have a towel, a bright flashlight, and a note pad or phone to record spots and dates; good lighting and tools help you see small changes and keep a clear record.
[Illustration: bathroom with full-length mirror, hand mirror, flashlight, towel on chair, and phone for notes]
Step 2: Remove clothing and take baseline photos
Undress completely and use the full-length mirror or a partner to take front, back, and side photos of your whole body in daylight or bright indoor light. Baseline photos taken once give you a reference to compare future changes that might be subtle.
[Illustration: person taking front and back photos in bright room with a smartphone on a tripod]
Step 3: Examine face, scalp, and neck
Use a hand mirror for the back of your neck and part your hair in several places to check the scalp. Look for new moles, scaly patches, persistent redness, or patches that bleed; scalp and face are common places for visible and sun-related changes.
[Illustration: close-up of person using hand mirror to view back of neck and parting hair to see scalp]
Step 4: Inspect arms, hands, and nails
Raise each arm and check the upper arm, forearm, and underarm. Examine palms and fingernails (look for dark streaks or splitting). Skin cancer and fungal or inflammatory changes often appear on sun-exposed or trauma-prone areas of hands and arms.
[Illustration: person holding arm up and inspecting forearm and underarm in mirror while checking fingernails closely]
Step 5: Check torso and under-breast areas
For women, lift breasts to inspect under-breast folds; for everyone, use a mirror to view the chest, abdomen, and sides. Look for asymmetric lumps, dimpling, puckering of skin, or unexplained redness that might indicate underlying issues needing evaluation.
[Illustration: person using hand mirror to view under-breast and side torso while standing by full-length mirror]
Step 6: Scan legs, feet, and between toes
Sit and prop one leg on the chair to inspect thighs, shins, calves, ankles, soles, and between toes. Use a flashlight for soles; foot and lower-leg skin changes, ulcers, or infections often start in pressure points or between toes and need prompt attention.
[Illustration: seated person lifting foot onto chair inspecting sole and between toes with flashlight]
Step 7: Compare, record, and schedule follow-up
Write down or photograph any spots that are new, growing, itchy, bleeding, or changing color and size; note the date and measurement if possible. If you notice any concerning signs, call your doctor within 1–2 weeks or sooner for rapidly changing lesions; routine changes can be tracked monthly.
[Illustration: notebook with dates and photos of skin spots next to smartphone and pen on bathroom counter]
- Do this exam every 4 weeks so changes are easier to spot and compare.
- Measure suspicious spots with a small ruler or place a coin nearby in photos for scale.
- Wear sunscreen and check sun-exposed areas carefully after outdoor activities or sunburns.
- Keep a simple checklist or habit reminder to make the exam routine and less likely to be missed.
- Ask a trusted partner to help reach hard-to-see areas and to verify any color or shape differences.
- Bring dated photos and your notes to medical appointments to help clinicians assess changes quickly.
- If you have many moles or a personal or family history of skin cancer, consider a professional skin exam every 6–12 months in addition to self-checks.
- Use the ABCDE approach (Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, Evolving) as a quick memory aid when evaluating moles.
- Seek urgent care or dermatology within days if a spot grows rapidly, bleeds repeatedly, or becomes painful.
- See a doctor promptly if a sore or lesion fails to heal within 4 weeks or if you notice a new, dark, or changing mole larger than 6 mm.
- If you have unexplained spreading redness, warmth, fever, or signs of infection, seek medical attention the same day.
- This self-exam is not a substitute for professional evaluation; if you have a personal history of skin cancer or many atypical moles, follow your clinician’s screening schedule.
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