The bad news is that two in three Aussies will be diagnosed with skin cancer before the age of 70. But the good news is 95 per cent of skin cancers can be successfully treated if detected early.
In the video above: Dr Michela Sorensen on what to look out for when detecting skin cancer
Unfortunately, 72 per cent of us don’t even know what to look for when checking our moles and spots.
"The simplest message I like people to remember, particularly if you're covered in mole, I say stand back, look in the mirror and look for something that looks different," Dr Michela Sorensen told The Daily Edition.
"So if there's something that stands out as different from all the other ones around it, it might be new or it might be a change, that's the one you need to get looked at.
Some simple things to keep in mind when you're checking your skin:
- Asymmetry: normal moles should be reasonably symmetrical
- Border: if there's no border to the mole, or it's no longer visible, it could be nasty
- Colour: a normal mole should be evenly coloured all over.
- Diameter: anything more than 6mm could be trouble
- Evolving: the biggest red flag is a change in any of the above
Now you know what to look out for, how often should you do it?
"My general rule is doing it monthly," Dr Michela Sorensen said.